In terms of international tourism, Cuba is here to stay. If in 1990 the island was ranked 23 as a tourist destination throughout the hemisphere, by the end of that decade stood in eighth place. This impressive development determined, as noted by the M.Sc. Ivis Gutierrez and Dr. Orlando Gutierrez in their work “marketing strategy of tourism products for the market segment of Cubans living abroad”, that Cuba was considered the “star of the Caribbean” in the 90s.
Responding to priorities of the Ministry of Tourism, among which is the development of other modalities in Cuba destination in order to show it as a product that goes beyond the traditional sun and beach, the key to the Gulf, as has been announced, released in November its first hotel that specializes in music: The Blue Salsa Club, with the help of the Spanish hotel chain “Blue Bay” and with the support of the Paradiso Agency for Cultural Tourism.
This new hotel project, designed by Santiago Alfonso, National Dance Award, reinvents the BelleVue Palma Real to promote genres, variants and Cuban musical styles through their decor, atmosphere, lighting, music, food, cocktails, clothing of employees, specialized animation, etc…
The BelleVue Hotels offer the best value within the Blue Bay chain. They have facilities that are fully equipped to offer customers a superb service and a sense of comfort. They are designed to meet the needs of all markets, both families and couples and groups.
Specifically in the Blue Salsa Club they will hold daily concerts, shows, workshops, lectures and presentations in different areas of the hotel. Guests will have included practical and theoretical dance, percussion and other musical instruments, aimed at both amateur and professional, can actively participate in competitions and contests, generally with particular attention to children. In addition, customers will have access daily to Havana Club nightclub, where one day a week they will have the theme night Blue Salsa Night.
The Blue Salsa Night, according to M.Sc. Yuri Perez, adviser to the Ministry of Tourism, will have an excellent initial reception. First, commitment to the introduction of a new feature of the national hotel offer: the thematic approach, a differentiation strategy that has been doing extensive internationally in first class hotels. The city of Las Vegas, a paradigm of this kind of offer, receives every year thousands of tourists who enjoy themed accommodations ranging from environmental replica of the Roman Empire in the Caesar Palace to the circus atmosphere of the Circus Circus Hotel.
Even if the new product does not produce the expected result, its location in the main tourist center of the country of sun and sand supply ensures a high level of occupancy. Second, exploits elements of the national culture of undoubted wealth (the rhythms, dance and music native to the island) and active social phenomenon coupled to them through various offers ranging from learning to implementation very attractive for all kinds of customers Cuban culture lovers, whether domestic or foreign ones.
However, they cannot lose sight that the Mecca of cultural tourism in Cuba is Havana. The international tourist lover of art and culture, which is the target customer for projects that are inserted into cultural tourism, gives priority to visits that put him in touch with the most possible academic and cultural offerings. Havana is a patchwork made up by major museums, theaters, academic centers for the promotion and artistic creation, and ultimately, lives art, culture and history. In every corner where Guaracha, son, trova and of course salsa sounds, the foreign visitor is given a piece of Cuba that will never be redesigned in a hotel.
The preferred international tourist offer of sun and sea, appreciate the novelty of Blue Salsa Night, but they can find in most of the hotels in Varadero shows, dance classes, souvenirs, etc . . . . , which can satisfy him. A desirable paradigm would be making tourists recur in the Blue Salsa Night by the benefits and attractions of cultural product, and not for the offer of sun and beach, guaranteed in any other place in that resort . But this would require a new approach of Varadero cultural offerings: the Tropicana in Matanzas, Mambo Club, Pirate’s Cove, the House of Music … turn the area into a cultural destination, so the Blue Salsa Night becomes another choice there.
