CUBA: Foreign Hotel Chains Increase In Cuba

Cuba has continued diversifying and expanding foreign participation in the tourism sector, particularly in the most expanded modality: hotel administration and marketing contracts with companies of renowned international prestige, some of which are previewing that the foreign part contributes the required resources to remodel existing installations and to introduce new brands.

Protected by 82 contracts, 19 international hotel chains are operating in Cuba 95 hotels, which concentrate 41,051 rooms – 97% of them with a four- and five-star category -, according to information of the Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) at the close of January 2017. Thirteen joint ventures are included among the contracts referred to.

Out of these managements, 11 are of Spanish origin and represent 58% of the associations in the country: they manage 75 hotels, 79% of which operate under that modality. The remaining companies are from Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Portugal, Singapore and Switzerland.

On the Cuban side, Gaviota is the counterpart of 45% of the contracts; Gran Caribe, 31%; Cubanacán, 23%; and Islazul, 1%.

Distributed in the island’s principal tourist destinations, Varadero has 37% of the hotels administrated by foreign managements; Havana 22%; Cayos de Villa Clara 16%; Jardines del Rey (Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo), 15%; and the northern coast of Holguín 5%. In Cayo Largo del Sur, Jibacoa, Trinidad, Camagüey’s Santa Lucía beach, and Santiago de Cuba two hotels operate administrated by international managements.

Out of these installations under administration contracts, 76% respond to the sun and beach tourism modality, which has usually predominated during these years; and the remaining 24% offer the city product combined with cultural, historic and heritage tourism – compared to previous statistics, it is confirmed that foreign administration in city hotels has been growing, according to the approved sectorial policy.

The Business Opportunities Portfolio for Foreign Investment in Cuba’s Tourism Sector presents 110 projects that serve as the foundation to create new international economic associations or new hotel administration and marketing contracts, some of them with foreign financing.

Projected in favor of expanding the presence of recognized international chains in the management and marketing of hotels; to renovate the hotel room plant through restorations, expansions and new constructions, and to increase the number and the standards of rooms, especially in city hotels, the Portfolio is in turn directed at diversifying the tourist product, attracting high-standard markets and extending the non-hotel sector to the real estate development associated to golf courses, complements of totally Cuban marinas and high-tech theme parks.

More than 50% of those projects are already the object of interest by investors from several countries and are in the stage of preliminary negotiations between foreign and Cuban companies, especially those linked to the construction and renovation of hotels and to marinas.

MINTUR, according to its general director of development, José Daniel Alonso, is presently updating the portfolio for this year, which will have more than 150 projects, to build new installations as well as to remodel the existing ones.

Foreign management: Hotel Chains, Country Of Origin And Number of Rooms

Meliá Hotels International - Spain - 13,176

Blue Diamond Hotels & Resorts - Canada - 8,472

Iberostar Hotels & Resorts - Spain - 5,830

H10 Hoteles - Spain - 2,040

Blau Hotels & Resorts - Spain- 1,777

Warwick International Hotels and Resorts - France - 1,243

Valentín Hotels - Spain - 1,208

Sercotel Hoteles - Spain - 1,195

Roc Hotels - Spain - 1,022

Be Live Hotels – Globalia - Spain - 949

Barceló Hotels & Resorts - Spain - 883

Accor Hotels - France - 696

Banyan Tree - Singapore - 516

BlueBay Hotels & Resorts - Spain - 510

Pestana Hotels & Resorts - Portugal - 508

Elite Club Vacanze - Italy - 291

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide - United States - 269

Kempinski Hotels S.A. - Switzerland - 246

NH Hotels - Spain - 220

CUBA: Foreign Hotel Chains Increase In Cuba

Cuba has continued diversifying and expanding foreign participation in the tourism sector, particularly in the most expanded modality: hotel administration and marketing contracts with companies of renowned international prestige, some of which are previewing that the foreign part contributes the required resources to remodel existing installations and to introduce new brands.

Protected by 82 contracts, 19 international hotel chains are operating in Cuba 95 hotels, which concentrate 41,051 rooms – 97% of them with a four- and five-star category -, according to information of the Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) at the close of January 2017. Thirteen joint ventures are included among the contracts referred to.

Out of these managements, 11 are of Spanish origin and represent 58% of the associations in the country: they manage 75 hotels, 79% of which operate under that modality. The remaining companies are from Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Portugal, Singapore and Switzerland.

On the Cuban side, Gaviota is the counterpart of 45% of the contracts; Gran Caribe, 31%; Cubanacán, 23%; and Islazul, 1%.

Distributed in the island’s principal tourist destinations, Varadero has 37% of the hotels administrated by foreign managements; Havana 22%; Cayos de Villa Clara 16%; Jardines del Rey (Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo), 15%; and the northern coast of Holguín 5%. In Cayo Largo del Sur, Jibacoa, Trinidad, Camagüey’s Santa Lucía beach, and Santiago de Cuba two hotels operate administrated by international managements.

Out of these installations under administration contracts, 76% respond to the sun and beach tourism modality, which has usually predominated during these years; and the remaining 24% offer the city product combined with cultural, historic and heritage tourism – compared to previous statistics, it is confirmed that foreign administration in city hotels has been growing, according to the approved sectorial policy.

The Business Opportunities Portfolio for Foreign Investment in Cuba’s Tourism Sector presents 110 projects that serve as the foundation to create new international economic associations or new hotel administration and marketing contracts, some of them with foreign financing.

Projected in favor of expanding the presence of recognized international chains in the management and marketing of hotels; to renovate the hotel room plant through restorations, expansions and new constructions, and to increase the number and the standards of rooms, especially in city hotels, the Portfolio is in turn directed at diversifying the tourist product, attracting high-standard markets and extending the non-hotel sector to the real estate development associated to golf courses, complements of totally Cuban marinas and high-tech theme parks.

More than 50% of those projects are already the object of interest by investors from several countries and are in the stage of preliminary negotiations between foreign and Cuban companies, especially those linked to the construction and renovation of hotels and to marinas.

MINTUR, according to its general director of development, José Daniel Alonso, is presently updating the portfolio for this year, which will have more than 150 projects, to build new installations as well as to remodel the existing ones.

Foreign management

Meliá Hotels International - Spain - 13,176

Blue Diamond Hotels & Resorts - Canada - 8,472

Iberostar Hotels & Resorts - Spain - 5,830

H10 Hoteles - Spain - 2,040

Blau Hotels & Resorts - Spain- 1,777

Warwick International Hotels and Resorts - France - 1,243

Valentín Hotels - Spain - 1,208

Sercotel Hoteles - Spain - 1,195

Roc Hotels - Spain - 1,022

Be Live Hotels – Globalia - Spain - 949

Barceló Hotels & Resorts - Spain - 883

Accor Hotels - France - 696

Banyan Tree - Singapore - 516

BlueBay Hotels & Resorts - Spain - 510

Pestana Hotels & Resorts - Portugal - 508

Elite Club Vacanze - Italy - 291

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide - United States - 269

Kempinski Hotels S.A. - Switzerland - 246

NH Hotels - Spain - 220

CUBA: About Cuba

Capital: Habana or Havana

Size: 110,860 km²

Population: 11m

Currency: Cuban Peso, Convertible Peso

Language: Spanish

Visas: British passport holders need a return ticket and a 30-day tourist visa.

Food: Try green banana soup or the national dish of congris, rice mixed with black beans, roast pork and yuca or fried plantain.

Drink: Anything as long as it’s rum. And mojitos.

Festivals: Havana in February and Santiago in July have their own variations on the theme of conga, the ear-splitting drum music which drives on the parades.

Everybody’s image of Cuba is different. For some, it’s an idealised tropical paradise – scenes of palm trees swaying alongside endless dazzling white beaches and a turquoise sea. Others remember its past decadence: stories of Hemingway and Greene, cheap rum, gambling, wild dances and cigars being rolled on the thighs of dusky maidens. Only the gambling is no longer available.

Then there are the revolutionaries: José Martí, Castro and Che Guevara. This is perhaps the most powerful image of them all: Cuba freeing itself from its colonial past and then daring to stand up to the most powerful country in the world.

Partly because of Cuba's isolation, its old towns remain remarkably unspoilt and intact. Havana is a World Heritage Site and strenuous efforts are being made to restore the colonial centre to its former glory. Around the island, Trinidad is the most precious colonial town, where nothing has changed for at least a hundred years.

Cuba is blessed with a pristine reef around most of the island, with walls and wrecks hosting a kaleidoscope of underwater life. The coral is in excellent condition, and there are turtles, dolphins, grouper, whale sharks, moray eels, rays, barracuda and other large creatures to make your heart miss a beat. Deep-sea fishing has long been popular, with tournaments made famous by Ernest Hemingway.

Out of the water, Varadero is a sandy spit of land which stretches for miles along the north coast and has attracted tourists since the beginning of the 20th century. For something a bit livelier, head to the local's favourite hangouts: Guanabo, near Havana, or the beaches east of Santiago de Cuba.

Wherever you go in Cuba you will be accompanied by music. Every town has a casa de la trova, where you can hear the different styles of Cuban music for the price of a rum or two. The salsa and the son, the mamba and the rumba are all now internationally famous and Cuban jazz has influenced music the world over.

HAITI: Sunrise Airways Adds New Plane

Haiti’s Sunrise Airways has announced the expansion of its fleet with a new ATR 42-320 aircraft.

The company said it would accept delivery in late February 2016.

“Bringing an ATR into the Sunrise fold represents a bright new beginning for our airline; one that will see us branching out swiftly to serve longer-haul routes connecting more of the Western Caribbean more effectively than ever before,” said Philippe Bayard, President of Sunrise Airways.

Sunrise Airways had been operating its flights around the Caribbean on 19-seat Jetstream 32 EP planes.

It currently operates regularly-scheduled flights to and from Santo Domingo, Santiago de Cuba and Cap Haitien, Haiti.

“This fleet expansion is really all about our passengers, many of whom have long expressed an interest in having us spread our wings further afield,” Bayard said. “Havana, Camaguey, Kingston, Nassau, a return of the service to Turks and Caicos – the demand is strong for these and several other attractive regional gateways. Now, with the added size, comfort, and luggage capacity afforded by the ATR, we can look to serving routes like these with the same uncompromising style, safety, and reliability that our passengers have come to expect from Sunrise.”