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38% annual rise in flights from U.S.
BERTO Pérez, managing director of Cuban company
Havanatur, announced that there has been a steady
rise in the number of flights from the United States
– a rate of 38% per year since 1999 – and at the
same time, over the last five years this company has
seen a 61% rise in the number of U.S. clients.
At
the opening of two Havanatur offices, in conjunction
with the Tour and Travel and Celimar companies, –
the latter specializing in trips to the island from
the United States – Pérez emphasized that new
facilities would allow greater preparation for the
day when we “are dealing with U.S. tourism and
preserving national interests.”
For
the first time, U.S. tourism representatives and
Cuban officials and organizations will meet in
Cancún, Mexico to exchange ideas on business
possibilities.
The
meeting – set to take place from October 16-18 –
could help U.S. legislators make travel regulations
to the island more flexible, Kirby Jones, a business
consultant from Washington, told AP.
Some
100 people are expected to take part at the event,
including representatives from travel agencies,
cruise ship companies and U.S. legislators. On the
Cuban side, it is hoped that Tourism Minister
Ibrahim Ferradaz will attend along with Foreign
Ministry officials and various travel firms.
Although the exact date is unknown, the U.S. Senate
is due to vote shortly on a bill allowing U.S.
citizens to travel freely to Cuba. In September, the
House of Representatives approved an amendment
authorizing visits.
Jones said he believed Congress members will see the
meeting as proof of the U.S. travel sector’s
interest in doing business with Cuba. He also
criticized those politicians opposed to the bill.
Regarding the statement that Republican Senator Norm
Coleman made the previous weekend (it’s not the time
to lift sanctions), the consultant replied that he
didn’t know Coleman personally but if this concerns
the interests of the United States, then we
shouldn’t pay any attention to the politician’s
words. Jones – also president of the firm Alamar
Associate – recalled that Washington still maintains
relations with countries such as China and Viet Nam
that do not share the same political system.
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