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(EFE) .- World tourism in Cuba decreased by 5.67% in the first half of 2018 compared to the same period of 2017 and in the case of US tourists, the decline was 23.6% , according to a study published on Monday by an American consulting firm
The Havana Consulting Group (THCG), specializing in the badysis of the Cuban economy, considers that the first half of 2018 was "traumatic and devastating "for the Cuban tourist industry. the combination of "bad practices and a number of unresolved problems accumulated."
According to THCG data, there were declines in all "strategic markets" for the Cuban tourism industry Canada (-8%), the United States (-23.6%), France (-4.3%), Germany (-15.5%), the United Kingdom (-8.8%), Italy ( -21%) and Spain (-0
The number of tourists who visited Cuba from 1 January to 30 June was 2.5 million, a decrease of 5.67% (more than 150 000
In the case of the Americans, 82,269 tourists were below the same period of 2017 (348,713) and, according to THCG, among other factors, the restrictions on individual travel allegedly "sonic attacks" against US diplomats on the island
The number of tourists who visited Cuba from January 1 to June 30 was 2.5 million, a decrease of 5.67%
It also see "the ban on housing in hotels under the structure of the Cuban Armed Forces" imposed by the Trump administration, according to the report "The Cuban tourism industry in the eye of the storm ? ".
In the case of the United States, if the contraction was not greater, the report points out, it is due to the increased travel of the Cuban-American population segment, which has increased 21.1%
. the weight of these negative results is the "extinction of the" tsunami "caused by the thaw in relations between the US and Cuban governments" announced late 2014 Barack Obama to the White House.
In this regard he mentions the decrease in the number of flights between Cuba and the United States, which was 31.6% in the first half, or 2,574 fewer flights than in 2017.
Worldwide, THCG lists a series of elements According to THCG, among other factors, the restrictions on individual travel and the so-called "sonic attacks" against US diplomats were directly influenced.
The report mentions an inadequate infrastructure, a "decline in the quality of service" in the hotel network, "land and air transportation problems" and a "low quality-price ratio of the product offered".
Tom For reference, the ratings of 347,833 tourists on the Tripadvisor portal between March 2016 and February 2017, Cuba have 3.5 out of 5 points, Mexico Cancún 4.20 points and the Dominican Republic 4.05 points. According to THCG
With this panorama, concludes the report, it is unachievable that the Cuban tourism sector reaches the goal of the proposed 5 million tourists in 2017.
According to the To achieve its objectives, the Cuban government should undertake a "deep reform" that would involve the "decentralization" of tourism activity with "the incursion of private companies generating competition".
In addition, a million-dollar investment to "remodel and maintain a good portion of the hotels" that operate in the country for more than fifteen years, a "training of service and management personnel" and "improve the system Remuneration "employees
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