Cuba earns over 1 bln USD in tourism revenue in first half of 2014

Cuba earns over 1 bln USD in tourism revenue in first half of 2014
Aug 20,2014

HAVANA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Revenues from international tourism reached
1.077 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of 2014, or 4 percent more
than that over the same period last year, Cuba's National Statistics and
Information Bureau reported Tuesday.

The figure represented nearly 60 percent of the total tourism revenue
forecast for the year, the agency said.

Between January and June, retail sales earned the most among the tourism
services, followed by transportation, food and beverage, and
accommodations, the data showed.

Visitors spent the most on food and beverage, which registered 422
million dollars, or 39 percent of total revenue, followed by 367 million
dollars, or 34 percent, for accommodations, which traditionally
represents the largest chunk of earnings.

A total of 1,660,055 international visitors arrived in Cuba over the
six-month period, 3.9 percent more than that in the same period of 2013,
the data showed.

The industry is aimed to draw 3 million visitors a year, and to that end
the government of Cuban leader Raul Castro is investing heavily in the
sector.

Tourism is Cuba's second-largest source of foreign revenue, earning
around 2.6 billion dollars a year, after the export of professional
services, mainly in the area of healthcare, which brings in more than 10
billion dollars.

Source: Cuba earns over 1 bln USD in tourism revenue in first half of
2014 | Shanghai Daily -
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=236293