Madrid, January 17 (RHC)-- Cuba presented its tourism portfolio with broad growth projections by 2030 during a meeting with Spanish business people within the framework of the FITUR 2022 exhibition.

Cuban Tourism Minister Juan Carlos Garcia Granda explained the strengths of the smokeless industry in the country and highlighted the success of the anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

Garcia Granda, who heads his country’s delegation at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR), scheduled to open on January 19 in Madrid, mentioned some goals for 2030, such as increasing hotel capacity to 95,000 rooms and exceeding six million visitors.

During the meeting with representatives of different firms from the tourism sector in Spain, he presented ideas to increase the infrastructure associated with golf courses and marinas and mentioned the expectations in Cienfuegos, known as Cuba’s Southern Pearl.

He mentioned other projects in Artemisa, Pinar del Rio, Holguin, Varadero, Matanzas and Havana provinces.

In response to questions, the minister said that the severe US economic blockade, tightened during the Donald Trump administration, slowed down the development of tourism in Cuba, in addition to the problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

FITUR, which will run until January 23, will be attended by 107 countries, being the Dominican Republic the guest of honor.

Other participants are Mexico, Peru, Jamaica, Barbados, Cuba, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Costa Rica, and Guatemala.