• Submitted by: manso
• Travel and Tourism
• 07 / 23 / 2011

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By.Ileana Ferrer Fonte.11:03Havana, Jul 22 (Prensa Latina) The Spanish tourist group Excelencias on Friday honored several Cuban companies and institutions for their efforts to develop the tourism industry and spread that example throughout the Caribbean.

During a cultural gala at Havana's Gran Teatro, the Spanish company awarded its prize to six Cuban entities and individuals on their achievements.

Those honored were the ministries of Tourism and Culture, Prensa Latina, Publicaciones Seriadas, Habanos S.A., and Havana City Historian Eusebio leal.

On behalf of the winners, the chairman of the Excelencias Group, Jose Carlos de Santiago, delivered the prize to Deputy Tourism Minister Maria de Pilar Macias.

The ceremony topped a week of festivities to celebrate the 100th issue of the Spanish group's tourist magazine, Excelencias Turisticas del Caribe y las Americas, whose team chose Cuba because of its spiralling growth in the industry.

More than 220 people from 10 countries attended the events, which included an international seminar on gastronomy at the Melia Cohiba Hotel, exhibitions of fine arts and old and classic cars, and a cultural gala.

Cuba stands out for its rapidly-growing tourism industry, which serves more than two million tourists annually, and features nearly 300 hotels with 52,000 rooms, and eight regions for recreational development.

Spain is one of the main issuing markets for tourists to Cuba.