Cuba receives first 2 million foreign visitors in 2014

Cuba receives first 2 million foreign visitors in 2014

HAVANA, Aug.19 (Xinhua) -- The number of foreigners visiting Cuba since
the beginning of 2014 reached 2 million on Tuesday, and the island
nation aims to receive 3 million tourists before the end of the year,
said a release from the Ministry of Tourism (Mintur).

Mintur's tally was based on registered arrivals of tourists from Canada,
Germany, France, Italy and Spain and reflects Cuba's strong position in
international tourism, the release said.

Mintur added that Cuba's unique offers, its wide cultural and
patrimonial legacies as well as safe services are some of the main
reasons why tourists choose to visit the Carribean country.

Mintur also said that the country has intensified commercial and
publicity campaigns to attract tourists so as to reach the goal of
receiving 3 million tourists a year.

In 2013, Cuba received 2,852,572 foreign arrivals, up 0.5 percent year
on year, earning over 1.8 billion U.S. dollars.

On Tuesday, Cuba National Bureau of Statistics said the country earned
some 1.77 billion dollars from international tourism in the first half
of 2014, up 4 percent year on year.

Tourism is Cuba's second main source of hard currency, earning the
country over 2.6 billion dollars every year.

Source: Cuba receives first 2 million foreign visitors in 2014 |
GlobalPost -
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/xinhua-news-agency/140820/cuba-receives-first-2-million-foreign-visitors-2014