Havana, January 12 (RHC)-- Josefina Vidal, General Director for the United States at the Cuban Foreign Ministry, announced that nearly 285,000 U.S. citizens visited Cuba in 2016, representing a 74 percent increase over the previous year. 

Writing on Twitter, Vidal said the event is especially noticeable given the persisting travel restrictions under Washington's nearly six decades-old blockade of Cuba.

Washington's arbitrary Cuba policy forbids U.S. citizens from visiting the neighboring Caribbean state as tourists.   U.S. travel to Cuba is restricted under 12 categories approved in 2016 by President Barack Obama.

According to the Cuban Tourism Ministry (MINTUR), from January 1st through December 30th, 2016, Cuba welcomed a record number of four million foreign visitors, representing a 13 percent over 2015. 

MINTUR pointed to North America and Europe as the main markets of tourists to Cuba.