The Cuban government said Friday that the economy is growing again following a decline last year that was the first drop reported in two decades.
Economy Minister Ricardo Cabrisas said at the opening session of the National Assembly that Cuba’s GDP grew just more than 1 percent in the first six months of 2017 and is on track to hit an estimated 2 percent for the full year.
The rebound came despite the economic crisis in Venezuela, which provides oil and other support to the island.
The government said Cuba’s economy shrank last year by 1 percent amid falling help from Venezuela, which is struggling with triple-digit inflation and widespread shortages of food and other basic goods.
The decrease was the first reported by Cuba in years.
Cuban media quoted Cabrisas as telling the assembly that instability in the supply of Venezuelan oil weighs on the country’s economy but tourism, construction, transportation and communications are all growing.
Foreign media were not allowed to attend the session, which was presided over by President Raul Castro.
Some growth in tourism is the result of the normalization of relations with the U.S. that was started by President Barack Obama and is now threatened under President Donald Trump.
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Showing posts with label Tourism in Cuba. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tourism in Cuba. Show all posts
Friday, 21 July 2017
Wednesday, 21 June 2017
UNWTO Condemns Trump’s Travel Restrictions On Cuba
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) expresses its firm resentment over the recently-announced decision by the United States Administration to restore travel restrictions with Cuba.
This represents a step backwards and a strong attack on the freedom of travel, said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.
This decision will have limited impact on Cuba’s tourism development, yet it will substantially affect the US economy and American jobs.
Many US companies have started to invest in and do business with Cuba in view of the immense potential of Cuban tourism, which other countries will surely continue to benefit from, he added.
Tourism is one of the key economic sectors in Cuba, supporting many livelihoods and drawing significant interest from foreign investors, which will surely continue being the case.
In 2016 Cuba received over 4 million international visitors, a growth of over 1 million in only five years.
Meanwhile, Istanbul turns into a more attractive shopping destination as the city prepares for the 7th edition of Istanbul Shopping Fest (ISF).
Taking place between July 1 - 16, ISF will offer discounts of up to 50%. Moreover, Istanbul's both modern and traditional shopping centers will host many activities during the fest.
Visitors to Istanbul come not only to see the city but also to discover the culture and art of the city.
There will be design contests, where the best designs will be selected, awarded by Turkey's Trademark Association.
All the events will be held in nine different shopping malls, said Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Chairman İbrahim Çaglar.
Çaglar added that approximately 200 local and foreign designers will participate in the shopping fest.
He noted that 15 artists will hold exhibitions and around 150 workshops and more than 30 music and dance performances will add joy to the shopping fest.
Designated "Design ISF" areas will be located at major shopping malls including Akasya, Capitol, Emaar Square, Forum Istanbul, Istinye Park, Kanyon, Palladium, Venezia Mega Outlet and Zorlu Center. These areas will provide an opportunity for visitors to meet famous designers like Bahar Korçan, Arzu Kaprol and Gamze Saraçoğlu and experience special design products including jewelry, accessories, furniture, ceramics, graphics, fabrics, books, stationery, glass, lighting and organic food.
The Uninvited Jazz Band, Tango Rojo, Can Türkkan, Arbil Çelen, Jülide Hatay, Deniz Güngör and Ali Deniz Kardelen will perform during the shopping fest.
This represents a step backwards and a strong attack on the freedom of travel, said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.
This decision will have limited impact on Cuba’s tourism development, yet it will substantially affect the US economy and American jobs.
Many US companies have started to invest in and do business with Cuba in view of the immense potential of Cuban tourism, which other countries will surely continue to benefit from, he added.
Tourism is one of the key economic sectors in Cuba, supporting many livelihoods and drawing significant interest from foreign investors, which will surely continue being the case.
In 2016 Cuba received over 4 million international visitors, a growth of over 1 million in only five years.
Meanwhile, Istanbul turns into a more attractive shopping destination as the city prepares for the 7th edition of Istanbul Shopping Fest (ISF).
Taking place between July 1 - 16, ISF will offer discounts of up to 50%. Moreover, Istanbul's both modern and traditional shopping centers will host many activities during the fest.
Visitors to Istanbul come not only to see the city but also to discover the culture and art of the city.
There will be design contests, where the best designs will be selected, awarded by Turkey's Trademark Association.
All the events will be held in nine different shopping malls, said Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Chairman İbrahim Çaglar.
Çaglar added that approximately 200 local and foreign designers will participate in the shopping fest.
He noted that 15 artists will hold exhibitions and around 150 workshops and more than 30 music and dance performances will add joy to the shopping fest.
Designated "Design ISF" areas will be located at major shopping malls including Akasya, Capitol, Emaar Square, Forum Istanbul, Istinye Park, Kanyon, Palladium, Venezia Mega Outlet and Zorlu Center. These areas will provide an opportunity for visitors to meet famous designers like Bahar Korçan, Arzu Kaprol and Gamze Saraçoğlu and experience special design products including jewelry, accessories, furniture, ceramics, graphics, fabrics, books, stationery, glass, lighting and organic food.
The Uninvited Jazz Band, Tango Rojo, Can Türkkan, Arbil Çelen, Jülide Hatay, Deniz Güngör and Ali Deniz Kardelen will perform during the shopping fest.
Friday, 12 May 2017
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
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
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
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