Cuban authorities are highly optimistic about the local leisure industry’s chances of recovery and consider the sector instrumental in reviving the island’s economy.

Havana, Cuba.- A report published Tuesday in Granma newspaper, quotes the Cuban Minister of Tourism, Juan Carlos García, as voicing his optimistic outlook.

The publication reviews the Minister’s speech at the local Parliament sessions, where he presented a forecast of 2,600,000 foreign visitors by 2025, or an 18% year-on-year increase compared to 2024.

His report came out on the first day of the Parliament’s discussions, when García indicated that, from the beginning of 2024, there’s been a gradual tendency to see Cuba as a less secure destination, which adds to the negative impact the current limits on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) (or visa waiver application) are having on European and Chilean visitors.

García added it is essential for the sector’s recovery to offer a high-quality tourist product, capable of luring visitors. The country’s top destinations remain the province of Matanzas, followed by Havana, the capital of Villa Clara and Ciego de Avila, and Holguín. (PL)