Pearl Of The Antilles - Cuba Is More Than Cigars, Rum & Music
Charmaine PangEditor
TRAVELHotNews.com
Credit: Cuba Tourist Board
Lush scenery and balmy temperatures have lured Canadians in ever-increasing numbers to Cuba. In 2007 a total of 660,387 visits were recorded.
The Gulf of Mexico harbours the Caribbean’s largest island, only 140 kilometres south of Florida. Cuba, also known as the “Pearl of the Antilles”, boasts almost 4,000 islands and islets that are spread across the Caribbean Sea. The tourism industry is the country’s main livelihood, bringing in billions of dollars per year.
That’s no surprise, as Cuba features more than 300 world-renowned beaches with powdery white sand, crystal-clear waters and a wide-range of activities. Add a dash of distinctive Cuban culture – cigars, rum, and music – and it’s no wonder that Cuba is able to charm hundreds of thousands of Canadian visitors year after year.
Steady Increase Of Visitors
Canadian Traveller recently spoke to Elias Bestard, the new director of the Cuba Tourist Board in Toronto, regarding the 2007/2008 winter travel season and the number of Canadians travelling to Cuba in 2007. The number of travellers rose about nine per cent, with a total of 660,387 arrivals. The majority of travellers come from the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia.
As far as 2008 goes, the Cuba Tourist Board said the number of travellers arriving in January and February 2008 increased by 29 per cent compared to the same time last year. The steady increase is a trend that the Cuba Tourist Board expects to hold through the winter season.
Credit: Cuba Tourist Board
Elias Bestard, the director of the Cuba Tourist Board in Toronto, noted that long-stay, nature and cultural programs are becoming more popular in Cuba.
New Hotels
Cuba offers a wide range of hotels across the country, with a total of 48,000 rooms available. Some are managed by well-known international hotel chains like Barceló, NH, Occidental and Sol Melia, while others are managed directly by domestic companies like Cubanacan Hotels, Gran Caribe and Isla Azul.
New hotel product for the 2007/2008 season includes the Sirenis Las Salinas in Varadero, which opened in August 2007.
Other additions include the hotel chain Encanto (meaning ‘charm’ in English), which offers smaller boutique hotels located in the historical areas of various Cuban cities. The Encanto chain appeals to a client who is interested in cultural tourism, and wants to experience a bit of local flavour. Some of the hotels include the Palacio Azul Hotel in Cienfuegos, San Basilio Hotel in Santiago de Cuba and Victoria Hotel in Havana.
At the end of 2008, other new resorts will be added to the country, including the Barceló Cayo Santa Maria, a large-scale resort that will feature four hotel towers to add another 27,000 rooms to the market. The first of the four hotels will be ready by Fall 2008.
Credit: Cuba Tourist Board
New attractions this season include the Varadero Jazz Festival ‘Jam Session’ every September, under the direction of jazz maestro and Grammy winner, Chucho Valdes.
New attractions this season include the creation of the Varadero Jazz Festival ‘Jam Session’ every September, sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture of Cuba. It will take place yearly under the direction of jazz maestro and Grammy winner, Chucho Valdes.
For clients who prefer relaxation and the spa life, Cayo Coco has added a new Thalassotherapy Centre and Spa. Thalassotherapy (from the Greek word, ‘thalassos’, meaning ‘sea’) is the medical use of seawater and other marine products, including mud and algae, for therapeutic purposes. The state-of-the-art facility offers a range of services, including hydro massage, pressure showers, sea mud and algae cabins, massage cabins, a fitness centre, pools, Jacuzzis, waterfalls and hot tubs.
The Future
Cuban tourism authorities have additional plans to further develop nature activities and other tourist activities such as watersports, scuba diving, fishing, trekking, and the like. There are also plans to ramp up Cuba’s presence in the meetings, incentive and conventions market in major cities like Havana, Varadero and Santiago de Cuba.
Havana
Visiting Havana is an absolute must for anyone going to Cuba. Founded in 1514, Havana is the soul of Cuba and a symbol of all that is Cuban. For the Spanish colonies, Havana was the main port where goods were traded and sold. This commercial prosperity attracted pirates who attacked the capital on several occasions, and American gangsters, who made Havana their hideaway at the beginning of the 20th century. The capital city was the cornerstone for many wars and historic turnarounds until the Cuban revolution in 1959.
Credit: Cuba Tourist Board
Havana is filled with vibrancy, character and beauty. It’s also a must-do for your clients – it’s an experience they’ll never forget.
Santiago De Cuba
The second most important city in Cuba is Santiago, located on the southernmost part of the island, near the American naval base of Guantánamo Bay. The city is situated between the high peaks of Sierra Maestra and the sea. Beaches are plentiful and often secluded, while there’s hiking on the mountain of Grand Piedra.
Credit: Cuba Tourist Board
Santiago de Cuba is eclectic and colourful with pastel shades and Art Deco designs and spellbinding rhythms that attract music lovers.
Varadero
Host to hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, Varadero offers the most beautiful beaches in Cuba, not to mention the rest of the world. Powdery, fine sand and calm, clear waters hypnotize visitors with a myriad of colours ranging from turquoise green to deepest blue. The sea is always warm and temperatures range around 25° C.
The best way to experience Varadero is by taking an early walk on the Avenida Primera. Beach activities are plentiful, including (but not limited to): nautical sports, boat rentals, surfing, kayaking, nautical skiing, helicopters, parasailing, golfing, island explorations, scuba diving and fishing.
Credit: Cuba Tourist Board
The vibrant Cuban starts with the warmth, friendliness and diversity of the Cuban people.
Cuban Culture
Cuba has always been a hotbed of unique cultural experiences. It all starts with the warmth, friendliness and diversity of the Cuban people, whose very spirit is reflected in their varied musical styles and dances. The cucaracha, the habanera, the mambo and comparsa, among other styles, are part of the Cuban daily rhythm.
At any time of the year, tourists can find a festival of some sort under way, not to mention hundreds of museums, galleries, and other cultural performances to take in. Several UNESCO World Heritage sites in the country are worth visiting, including the cities of Havana and Trinidad.
Most major Canadian tour operators offer Cuba programs, including Air Canada Vacations, Conquest Vacations, Hola Sun Holidays, Signature Vacations, Sunwing Vacations, Thomas Cook Canada and Transat Holidays.
