Havana, October 27 (RHC-ACN) -- Cuba is expanding air connections to regional hotspots to promote arrivals during the winter or high-tourist season, said the Ministry of Tourism.

Tourism Ministry's Communication director Dalila Gonzalez announced in Havana the list of new air connections to Cuba during the winter season.

The list includes a new Costa Rica-Cuba connection and a second one from Cancun, Mexico.

Pegas and Nordwind airliners will connect to Varadero tourist resort in Matanzas province, while Berlin Air will increase flights to Varadero, Santa Clara, along with Condor airlines.

Interject airlines will connect from Merida and LOT will fly to Cayo Santa Maria key in central Cuba, for the first time.

Copa Airlines will also add another two weekly flights to the Santa Maria key, while Canada Airlines also announced significant flight increases, said the tourism official who noted that the sector grew 3.7 percent up to August with two million 71 thousand 533 foreign arrivals.

Main source countries for Cuba are Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Venezuela, Chile, Colombia, Holland, China, Switzerland, Peru, Brazil and Austria.

Cuba expects to welcome a record three million tourists this year.