Without paying attention to the collapse of tourism in Cuba, the wholesale operator Enjoy Travel Group reported this Friday that it will reinforce its tasks in the Caribbean country during this year, after a successful 2024 for them both on the island and in the rest of the world.
Released from its office in Havana, a statement from the Spanish company, dedicated to the management of trips, activities, transfers and accommodation in the world, assures that the company looks towards 2025 full of challenges and opportunities.
Without providing statistics, the company indicated that its performance in 2024 “reflects its exponential growth, innovation and commitment to excellence.”
With representative and commercial offices in 11 countries (Spain, Italy, Russia, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Brazil), the company is expanding its global reach, which positions it as a benchmark in international tourism, added the statement released by the Prensa Latina news agency.
“Cuba, the pearl of the Caribbean, captivates with its rich culture and amazing diversity. From the vibrant streets of Havana, steeped in history and music, to the paradisiacal beaches of Varadero, this country offers unforgettable experiences,” reads the promotion on the tour operator’s website dedicated to the island.
With more than 20 years of experience in the tourism industry, Enjoy Travel Group also promotes the destination of Florida and other locations in the United States.
The organization opted for the specialization of its product portfolio, incorporating destinations such as Europe and expanding strategic lines such as MICE (meetings, conferences and incentive trips), which allows it to meet the demands of diverse and specialized markets, added the report
Enjoy has strengthened its global visibility, participating in the most important international tourism fairs, including FITUR (Spain), ITB (Germany), the Montreal Tourism Salon (Canada), ANATO (Colombia) and FITCuba (Cuba).
For this year, the Spanish company plans to consolidate the operational efficiency of its offices, expand its portfolio of specialized products, develop multi-destination and new opportunities in strategic markets such as Cuba, while respecting environmental standards.
Last September, Enjoy Travel Group announced plans to take Russian tourists from Cuba to Mexico.
According to the Association of Russian Tour Operators (ATOR), since 2024 this company offers services that allow “combining the original Cuba and mysterious Mexico in a single trip.”
The Spanish company, which is based in Barcelona, has charter flights that connect Madrid with Havana and offers tickets to other Caribbean destinations, such as Santo Domingo and Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic. In addition, it has its own flights from Cuba to the Mexican cities of Cancun and Merida, according to ATOR.
Tourism’s collapse
Enjoy Travel Group’s aims come as the Cuban tourism industry is going through a sharp contraction.
From January to November 2024, Cuba received just over two million international travelers (2,005,390), which represents 7.9% less than in the same period of the previous year, the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) reported this Friday.
In November, 160,473 visitors arrived on the island, a figure similar to that of that month in 2022, but a considerable distance from that of the same period in 2023, compared a dispatch from the Spanish news agency EFE.
With the statistics for the first 11 months of 2024, the possibility of reaching the 2.7 million visitors ― a figure reduced from the original objective of 3.2 million ― that the government proposed with the aim of refloating tourism was practically ruled out, EFE added.
Despite the statistical evidence, the government continues to bet on the sector as the driving force of the economy, while building and finishing new hotels, including the Metrópolis, the second section of the Muthu Havana, and the controversial K23, the tallest building in Cuba and the second tallest in the Caribbean islands.
Author
OnCuba Staff
