Cuba hits 2.6m tourist arrivals for 2015

Tourist arrivals in Cuba totalled more than 2.6 million as of September 30, the National Statistics and Information Office reports.

Tourist arrivals in Cuba totalled more than 2.6 million as of September 30, the National Statistics and Information Office (ONEI), reports.

There were 2.62 million arrivals during the first nine months of this year, up by some 400,000, or 18 per cent, from the same period in 2014.

Canada was the top source of visitors, with more than one million, the ONEI said.

In September alone, historically one of the slowest months for arrivals, Cuba welcomed nearly 200,000 tourists, a figure that was up 27.4 per cent from the same month last year.

Germany, Britain, France, Spain and Mexico were the other top sources of visitors, while Haiti, Costa Rica, Japan, Israel, Ireland, Poland, Australia and Venezuela posted strong gains, the ONEI said.

The government has implemented a plan to build several hotels and renovate existing properties to meet growing demand for accommodation in Havana and other cities, Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero said.

The plan calls for adding more than 13,600 rooms in "sun and beach destinations" in 2016, the official Agencia Prensa Latina reported.

The tourism boom coincides with the restoration of relations between Cuba and the United States in July after more than a half century of hostilities.

In the first seven months after President Barack Obama eased travel restrictions, about 88,900 Americans arrived in Cuba, a figure that was up 54 per cent from 2014 and is expected to grow further by the end of the year.

Tourism is the second-largest source of income for the island, generating $US1.7 billion ($A2.36 billion) in revenues in the first half of 2015.


Share
2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world