Cuban Tourism Looks Towards a Promising Future
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© YEAR VIII THE Nº 16 AUG 31, 2018 HAVANA, CUBA ISSN 2224-5707 Price: avana eporter 1.00 CUC H YOUR SOURCE OF NEWSR & MORE 1.00 USD A Bimonthly Newspaper of the Prensa Latina News Agency 1.20 CAN Society Cuban Tourism Looks Towards a Promising Future Cubans Abroad Invited to Comment on Draft of New Constitution P. 4 Photo Feature Havana’s Cannons P. 2 P. 11 Sports World Ballet Stars to Dance at Havana Festival Summer Baseball in Cuba: Playing through the Heat P. 7 P. 15 2 TOURISM Cuban Tourism Looks Towards a Promising Future Text & Phtos by Roberto F.CAMPOS There are certain aspects that keep Cuba’s tourism afloat: people’s safety, HAVANA.- The announcement that Cuba natural attractions and environmental welcomed three million foreign visitors protection, infrastructure and, above all, as of August 9, undoubtedly attracts the its people. attention of tour operators and travel During the 38th International agents who see the island as a significant Tourism Fair, FITCuba 2018, held in May tourist destination. in the keys north of central Cuba, the The report published by the Cuban authorities disclosed a series of statistics Tourism Ministry (MINTUR) corroborates that anticipate the increasing trend of the the latest opinions by experts in sector. saying that the local leisure industry is Cuba currently has 69,041 hotel recovering despite the decreases earlier rooms. As many as 63 percent of them announced. are four and five star-category, and 74 The storms that hit the country at the percent are located by the beach. end of 2017, anti-Cuba campaigns and A total of 110,416 Cubans are other issues well-known by the tourism presently working in the tourist industry- industry staff led to a decline in tourists 41.2 percent are women and 48 percent arrivals; however, the sector continues to are under 45 years old. be very dynamic. Last year, 4,689,896 foreign tourists Upon revealing that the country visited the island, representing an 11.6 welcomed tree million foreign visitors percent increase, but a 26 percent rise as of August 9 this year, MINTUR also had been recorded in the first eight envisaged better results for the upcoming months of that year. That pace slowed winter season (November-April). down with the arrival of Hurricane Irma Tourist arrivals have continued to in September. increase in 2018 despite campaigns A total of 17 cruise ship companies are organized and led by the U.S. government operating in Cuba, with 25 liners. The first to discourage U.S. citizens from travelling quarter of 2018 witnessed a 28.6 percent to the island, the Cuban ministry rise in that modality. reiterated. Moreover, 70 airlines are flying to Cuba The main issuing markets of tourists from 73 major world cities while 27 joint to Cuba are Canada, France, Germany, the ventures are operating in the country United Kingdom, Russia, Spain, Mexico, with more than 5,000 hotel rooms, and Argentina and Chile, in that order, the the investment portfolio features 140 MINTUR report reads. projects. 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Telephone: (53)7838-3496 / 7832-3578 Translation: Dayamí Interian/ Yanely Interián Printing: Imprenta Federico Engels Fax: (53)7833-3068 E-mail: [email protected] CUBA 3 Cuba: Source of Inspiration Cuba Aims to Increase for International Solidarity Farming Potential Movements PL PHOTO: By CossetLAZO imposed by Washington on Havana for HAVANA.- The Cuban Revolution’s about five decades. humanist and social justice principles are “Cuba has taught us about its strength a source of inspiration for thousands of during all these years,” said Sandoval people from all over the world, who come when highlighting the work conducted to the country as part of the solidarity by the Cuban farmers, who humbly PL movements that offer their support to work the land and defend values such as the government and the people of this honesty, equity and justice. PHOTO: Caribbean island. According to the Peruvian activist, Activists from all five continents have values like these favor the development By RobertoSALOMON usufruct to those who apply for a plot of come to Cuba for over fifty years now to of inclusive societies in a world in which land for the first time – for the farming corroborate the pro-Latin American and injustice affects the poorest sectors. HAVANA.- Cuba’s economic and forest production – has been altruistic spirit of the process the historic In July, members of the José development is inevitably linked increased from 13.42 to 26.84 hectares. leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Martí European Solidarity Brigade to the development of agriculture, One of the most novel features of Castro, started on January 1, 1959. visited Havana and urged to increase and in order to develop successfully, this norm includes the authorization of This year, members of the 13th international activism in favor of Cuba the country has to benefit from the up to three percent of the area granted International Primero de Mayo Solidarity and Latin America in view of Washington’s available land in order to increase the for farming and forest production for Brigade ratified their support for the intensification of its hostile policy. production of export items and reduce the construction of facilities. cause of the Cuban people at the Julio Young Italian journalist Niccola imports - which amount to 1.6 billion Antonio Mella International Camp, in the Matellini, one of the organization’s dollars. RESULTS SO FAR western province of Artemisa. 90 members, insisted on the need to To reach such an objective, in As if they were all native to the same increase activism and spread their work the last decade the government has Since its implementation, the country, about 300 activists from Latin in order to strengthen support to the introduced a number of legal norms process of granting idle lands in usufruct America, Europe, Asia and the United resistance of the Cuban people to the aimed at granting idle land to make a has resulted in the productive increase States stayed in Cuba for over two weeks economic, commercial and financial better use of it and thus develop this of items such as root vegetables, and had a full agenda that included blockade imposed on the island by the sector’s productivity. vegetables, corn, beans, rice, milk and productive activities and visits to United States. The most recent norms include meat, among others. However, these historical sites in the provinces of Havana, As usual, the activists - from Germany, Decree-Law No. 358/2018 and its results are far from meeting the needs. Villa Clara and Camagüey. the Czech Republic, Spain, France, Russia, Regulation, Decree No. 350/2018, According to Soil and Land “It’s really important that we have the Switzerland, Greece, Italy, Portugal, the published in the Gaceta Oficial. These Control Director Eddy Soca, 289,474 chance to meet each other from people United Kingdom, Sweden and Belgium norms rule the policy for granting state applications have been made. Of these, to people. We can communicate and – toured places of economic, social and idle lands through usufruct. 244,851 have been approved - 241,604 have brotherhood relations with people historical interest; did agricultural work, These documents also include the to individuals and 3,247 to legal entities from all over the world,” U.S. activist Aida and had conversations with people in amendments approved to solve issues (cooperatives and other companies). Horwitt told The Havana Reporter. communities and towns. that limit production in this sector. Based on the applications made, After talking about the importance At the beginning of August, the 25th The said norms are a follow-up to 2,102,454 hectares have been granted – of unity among all the peoples of the Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity the enactment of Decree-Laws 259 12 percent of these to women. world, Horwitt lamented the effects of the Brigade celebrated in Cuba the 92nd (2008) and 300 (2012), in compliance This constant process of granting blockade the government of the United anniversary of the birth of Fidel Castro with the measures approved to revive plots of land in usufruct follows two States has imposed on Cuba for over 50 (1926-2016), the architect of the fights for the farming sector and foster the principles: these plots of land are a non- years. the defense of the country’s sovereignty incorporation, permanence and stability transferable property of the State, and Horwitt added that as a result of and independence. of the workforce and the family’s final they should be exploited, avoiding the the blockade, the Cuban people have Also this summer, the Peace Boat settlement. misuse of the land and the loss of its grown stronger, because they have members arrived to the capital’s port to According to the Agriculture productivity. had to overcome a lot of obstacles, and send a message of global solidarity and Ministry’s legal advisor, Orlando Díaz, Soca emphasized that in order to mentioned that one of the most negative promote the existence of a world free the main changes include the following: use such plots, it’s necessary to keep effects is that it makes it difficult to from nuclear weapons.