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Cuba expects more Chinese tourists
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-08-29 10:25
Cuba, the Caribbean island country with breathtaking scenery, expects more
Chinese visitors and is working with China to operate a direct air route between
the two countries, said Omar Pereira Hemandez, Cuban embassy official in charge
of tourism, Saturday.
Cuba, the first outbound tourist destination for Chinese travelers in the
western hemisphere, has received more and more Chinese visitors recently. In
order to attract more Chinese tourists, the Cuban embassy has endeavored to
shorten the visa issuing time, he said.
The Cuban Tourism Ministry also planned to open a representative office in
Beijing to provide better services to Chinese travelers.
The civil aviation authorities of two nations are now discussing the
possibility of opening the first direct flight from Beijing to Havana, aiming to
make the city a gateway for Chinese tourists in their southern American tour.
Now, Chinese travelers have to transfer flights via Frankfurt of Germany,
Paris of France, Moscow of Russia and Vancouver of Canada to reach the tropical
nation.
Cuban tourism authority has approved nine travel agencies to offer service
for Chinese travelers, and strengthened training for Chinese-speaking tour
guides.
The first five-star hotel in Havana with Chinese investment has already
opened to host Chinese tourist groups, Omar said.
In recent years, tourism has become one of the pillar industries in Cuba,
along with cigar and sugar manufacturing, said Samuel Savariego Capuano, chief
representative of Cubanacan, the nation's biggest tourism group.
Cuba is a world famous ecotourism destination.
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