• Submitted by: admin
• Travel and Tourism
• 11 / 15 / 2006

The number of tourists from Canada was down 1.9 percent in September from last September, the number of tourists from Spain fell 5.7 percent, Italy 15 percent, and Germany 9.8 percent and France 5.2 percent, with only Britain showing an increase of 5.7 percent.

The report gave no reason for the drop.

But industry sources said the communist-run Caribbean island has put less emphasis on tourism as a key driver of its economy in recent years as discounted oil from Venezuela, a boom in medical and other service exports and spike in nickel prices eased economic pressures.

Industry sources said earlier this year that partly because of changes to exchange rates, Cuba was becoming increasingly costly and less profitable for foreign tour operators, some of whom were switching to other Caribbean countries.

The Canadian Association of Tour Operators complained this year to the Cuban Ministry of Tourism about the lack of adequate service for tourists, theft at airports and hotels, and jet fuel costing 33 percent more than elsewhere.

Canadians are the most numerous at Cuba's beach resorts, followed by Europeans. Few Americans visit the Caribbean island due to a four-decade U.S. economic embargo and travel restrictions.

Cuba reluctantly opened up to foreign tourism and investment when its key trade and aid partner the Soviet Union collapsed a decade ago.

Around 50 percent of Cuba's 44,000-room hotel capacity is managed and marketed by foreign companies, including Spain's Sol Melia, France's Accor and Jamaica's Sandals and Super Clubs.

Source: Reuters