THE © YEAR V Nº 10 MAY 22, 2015 HAVANA, CUBA avana eporter ISSN 2224-5707 YOUR SOURCE OF NEWS & MORE H R Price: A Weekly Newspaper of the Prensa Latina News Agency 1.00 CUC, 1.00 USD, 1.20 CAN Investor Interest Grows Society Quality of Life and P. 14 Longevity; Priorities for Cuban Society / P.4 Health & Science Cuban Art Nurtures Respect for Mother Earth / P.5 Politics CUBA-US Relations Beneficial to Both Sides/ P.6 Spotlight On Cuban Poetic Flair at the Venice Biennale / P.7 Entertainment & Listings/P.8-9 Culture Cuba’s Book Institute for Closer Ties with Africa /P.10 Havana, a Huge At 65 Plus, Still International Swimming P. 11 Ecuador Aims to Eradicate Art Gallery P. 7 Extreme Poverty /P.12 Sports CUBA-US Ferry Services to Havana... and the Blockade? P. 16 2015 Pan Am Games: Mijaín López In the Spotlight/P.15 THIS NEWSPAPER IS DISTRIBUTED ON BOARD CUBANA DE AVIACION´S FLIGHTS 2 TOURISM Rising Trend for Cuban Tourism By RobertoCAMPOS FotosPL PHOTOs: PHOTOs: HAVANA._The Cuban tourism industry is doing very compared to 2013. of the highest number of arrivals in one month. well so far this year in terms of international market and However, as many as 3,200,000 tourists are expected environmental protection, with statistics and examples to come to the island this year, according to estimates by STATISTICS CORROBORATE THE UPWARD TREND that corroborate such assertion. the Cuban Tourism Ministry. The recently closed 35th International Tourism Fair, The first quarter of 2015 far exceeded the estimated According to the National Statistics and Information FITCuba 2015, proved to be an example for this rising plan with 106.9 percent of arrivals, representing 14.9 Office report, travelers can be classified into different trend. percent more than in the same period in 2014. Out of the categories: tourists, who stay in a foreign place for at With the new foreign investment law, Cuban tourism total visitors of the 2015 quarter, 1, 116,113 were tourists, least one night but less than one year, and excursionists, has received a major boost in a moment that could not 20,835 were excursionists, and 8,272 came aboard cruise who visit for less than 24 hours. have been better, after the year 2014 closed with more ships. First on the list of foreign visitors in the first quarter than three million foreign arrivals, and with the winter The main issuing markets of tourists to the island of 2015 were citizens from Canada with 551,773 arrivals season (November-April) recording an upward trend. are Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and representing 48.5 percent of the total, followed by Local authorities said that last year the country Italy, with others such as Venezuela, Mexico, and Chile Germany with 52,904 (4.7 percent), France (44,319 registered a record figure in the number of foreign beginning to feature as well. and 3.9 percent), the United Kingdom (43,222 and 3.8 visitors, which accounted for a 5.3 percent increase With over 400,000 visitors, March reached the record percent) and Italy (39,177 and 3.4 percent). Canada: Guest of Honor at 2016 Cuban Tourism Fair By NéstorMARIN CAYO COCO._ Canada will be the guest the three million incoming tourist of honor at the 36th Cuban International record. Tourism Fair (FITCuba) in 2016. In his address to delegates, including At the closing of the recent 120 tour operators, travel agents, and FITCuba-2015, Maria del Carmen business representatives from the U.S, Orellana, the Ministry of Tourism’s Marrero commented that with the goal commercial director, said that the choice of surpassing the 5.3 percent increase reflected the recognition of Canada as in arrivals and the 2.7 billion dollars the principal source of tourists for Cuba tourists spent that marked last year’s over past years, having sent a million record, Cuba is working on 53 projects visitors in 2014 alone. for the provision of an additional 5,492 The official added that next year four and five star hotel rooms. Cuba’s greatest tourism event, to be The majority of these new hotels, held in Havana, will be dedicated to the built by joint venture firms, will be run promotion of Cuban culture. by famous hotel chains such as the In reference to the recently concluded Spanish Iberostar and Melia that have fair, she said that it had exceeded all been operating in Cuba for decades, in expectations as it counted with 1,800 conjunction with Gaviota, Cubanacán participants from 53 countries. and others Cuban businesses. She added that during the three The 18 international foreign working days – May 5th to 7th – in the companies that presently have 35,682 Melia Jardines de Rey hotel, important rooms on offer – 57 percent of the contracts aimed at increasing the country’s total – will very soon be joined number of visitors and the opening by others from China, Colombia, Spain, of new hotels and other facilities were France, Singapore, and Switzerland. signed. With 11,500 registered guest houses Minister for Tourism Manuel Marrero and more than 1,500 restaurants – said at the opening of FITCuba2015 – known as “paladares” – the incipient dedicated to Italy and nautical activities Cuban private sector is becoming – that the island currently finds itself in a an increasingly important factor for prime moment as last year it has passed tourism development in the country. CUBA 3 Santiago de Cuba: Five Centuries of Urban Development Revealed By MarthaCABRALES the city from the 16th to the 20th century, affirming its identity and confirming its cultural importance. The expert considered that each unit on show is a sequential tale, a clever play on an urban landscape that is sensed and latent, and one that is visible thanks to the minute detail of each of the chosen plans that compliment the photos and recordings in a dialogue between space, time, utopia, and essence. She classified the maps and documents as jewels of the historic memories of the people of Santiago, with authentic urban landscapes such as those of Baltasar Diaz Priego from 1751 and of Luis Francisco Delmes from 1840, 1845, 1857, and 1861. Orozco said that the exhibition marked a before and after in the history of Santiago de Cuba, as a city de la Ciudad of IOficina del Conservador PHOTOs:Courtesy SANTIAGO DE CUBA._ As the Conservator Office‘s tour in which nature, although seeming to negate government and the Galician Council of Spain. first cultural activity in honor of the city‘s 500th everything, remains defiantly ever present in the same In recent times, the Arte Soy gallery has occupied anniversary, the 24 panels with maps, recordings site since foundation, offering a dignified resistance to an old building that was renovated and revamped and photographs included in the Cartography and natural imponderables. by the CCO in an area adjacent to what was once the Landscapes of Santiago de Cuba exhibition on display The Art History specialist highlighted that “this is Moncada Barracks -- now a Museum and the 26th of at the Arte Soy gallery, bring the viewer back in time a project for the future that will simultaneously allow July School Complex -- and the second military fortress and space. new generations to safeguard heritage values and in the country, attacked by young revolutionaries led The graphic collection also celebrates the 498 years allow those involved in decision-making regarding by Fidel Castro on that same date in 1953. that have passed since the granting of the city title on citizen progress to develop an urban vision that The display forms part of preparations underway April 28, 1522 and the 18 years since the creation of protects this secular legacy and fairly evaluate future in the city to celebrate, this July 25th and 26th, the the City´s Conservator Office (CCO). interventions, extensions, and projections.“ 500th anniversary of the foundation of this historic At the opening, Dr. Maria Elena Orozco, of the As part of the exhibit, a placard alludes to a special settlement and the 62nd of the historic event that Oriente University, noted that the project uncovers plan for the revitalization of the historic city that marked the beginning of the definitive end of the the passing of time and the progressive building of refers to project collaboration between the municipal Cuban struggle for independence. National Crafts Fair for All Ages By ReinaMAGDARIAGA HAVANA._The 11th National “Art for Mothers” Crafts Fair, which exhibits the resources of the Cuban Cultural Goods Fund (CCGF) at the capital’s Pabexpo exhibition ground, has something to offer for everyone. According to the CCGF director, Jorge Alfonso, the event, running until the 27th of May, stands out for its national products and designs that replace imports on the island. He said that amid such products, both national and foreign visitors to the fair can appreciate footwear, office clothing, and ceramic restoration materials. The public can also find ceramic objects, fabrics, wooden handcrafts, horse-riding equipment, dolls, ornamental plants, and fine arts. In halls A, B, and C of the Pabexpo in Havana’s municipality of Playa, 261 individuals are exhibiting finely manufactured quality products at 19 different stands. Artex, Egrem, Icaic, Genesis, Coral Negro, and National Book Distribution companies, among other institutions, are also present at the fair. Alfonso highlighted the ever improving quality of products and the creators’ ability to come up with worthy solutions in spite of the scarcity of material. Additional to the “Art for Mothers” craft fair celebrated during the month of May, these works are also shown at other events every year such as the International Craft Fair and the annual summer “Arte en la Rampa” festival.