World economic crisis hits Cuban tourism industry

World economic crisis hits Cuban tourism industry
Published on Wednesday, May 6, 2009

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP) -- Fewer foreigners are visiting Cuba due to the
global economic crisis, dealing a blow to one of the island's main
sources of foreign currency, said Cuba's Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero.

Last year was "the best year in the history of Cuban tourism," Marrero
said, "with a nine percent increase in foreign visitors and a 12 percent
in tourism-related income" compared to 2007.

Cuban Tourism Minister, Manuel Marrero. AFP PHOTO
However Marrero, speaking at the opening of the International Tourism
Fair late Monday, said that 2009 "is turning into a difficult year."

The global crisis "is having an impact on all aspects of the world
economy and tourism is not exempt," he said.

Cuba expects fewer tourists this year even though the island closed the
first quarter of 2009 with a two percent increase over the same period
last year, said Marrero.

Tourism is the second largest source of foreign currency after Cuban
medical missions abroad.

Some 2.3 million foreigners visited Cuba in 2008, with the largest group
-- 818,000 -- coming from Canada.

In the first quarter of 2009 some 809,937 tourists arrived in Cuba --
winter in the northern hemisphere and traditionally the high season --
but they are spending less, as income dropped to 509.9 million dollars,
13.7 percent less than the same period in 2008, the Office of National
Statistics reported.

The figures do not reflect the suspension of flights to and from Mexico
since late April due to the swine flu outbreak.

No cases of swine flu have been reported in Cuba.

Caribbean Net News: World economic crisis hits Cuban tourism industry (6
May 2009)

http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/article.php?news_id=16212