Making the most of its enviable position in the Caribbean Sea, Cuba is going to great lengths to expand its tourist services.

According to the latest Destination Market Insights: Caribbean, Cuba reported the second regional largest number of foreign visitors, after the Dominican Republic, and before Puerto Rico.

Insiders place Canada as the first issuing country, adding that the latest restrictions implemented by the US Government have turned Cuba into off-limits territory for most American citizens.

In 2019, Cuba added 2,981 new rooms to its tourist hotels, in such places as Varadero’s International, the Kempinski and Muthu hotels.

Last year the island welcome 4, 275, 561 tourists, a 9.26 per cent year-on-year drop.

Offsetting such fall, the local market surpassed its tourist-day plan by 15.6 per cent, after growing 11.1 percent, as a result of attractive summer offers.

Adding to traditional attractions of sun and beaches, came tourist offers related to health, culture, congresses, nautical and diving sports, thus giving way to a wide gamut of choices to satisfy the most demanding customers.

Currently, the country is boasting well preserved colonial architectural sites, hotels linked to fine arts, heritage resorts and popular holidays and celebrations.

Besides, there some 120 art galleries, antiques shops, 260 museums and 80 theaters, coupled with a diversity of forums, workshops, festivals, congresses and specialized courses for all tastes.

Nowadays, foreign investors in Cuba’s tourist sector are being encouraged to increase their participation in joint ventures, with a view to let them recover their equity in shorter terms.

Locally, Cuban tourist entities are strengthening ties with the private sector, by signing contracts with 2,000 landlords, and 400 restaurants and 900 carriers, all private.

There are over a hundred tourist hubs in Cuba, with the potential to open over 400,000 rooms, although only 17 per cent of this figure is currently in use.