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Sand, sun and Cubans. The three elements prevail these days in many spas on the island where national tourism takes advantage of school holidays and fills the gap left by the fall of foreign visitors. Worse considered by employees, expert researchers of the best offer and the big consumers in the all-inclusive hotels, the nationals are already the majority in many accommodations of the country.
The picture differs a lot from what could be seen only ten years ago, when it was forbidden to enter the foreign currency hotels of Cubans living on the island In ten years, the local focus has become commonplace in the corridors and recreational areas that were previously closed to them and a robust market for private excursions has developed. arrange from transfer to place at accommodation and entertainment.
In a corner of Vedado neighborhood at least twenty families waited for the bus that would take them to Cienfuegos last Friday. Loaded with bags and several strollers, the holidaymakers received the bus with applause of joy. They had made reservations for at least two nights with all inclusive in the hotel Jagua of this city in the center of the island. "We do not fish in troubled waters, but in a calm river, if more people arrive from the outside we can not our customers," says Luciano
"On this same date the year last, we had no chance to live such a large group in a hotel of the most visited regions, "says Luciano, a private guide who has been working for eight years since he began to increase tourism abroad, it has become more difficult to organize this type of trip for Cubans. "
" We do not fish in troubled rivers, but in rivers. Quiet, if more people from outside arrive, we can not sneak into our customers, "says Luciano. In its large catalog, some offers are marked with a red popcorn. "You are the most attractive but also the hardest to get because strangers appreciate them a lot."
"Cayo Santamaría, two nights with all inclusive for 160 CUC", reads one of the promotions. Luciano organizes transport with buses that, during the week, work for state companies but have permission from their administrations to make tourist trips from Friday to Sunday. "We leave the guests in the lobby of the hotel, pick up the key to the room and start enjoying it."
Luciano is one of the few who is looking forward to the fall of foreign tourism or the increase that comes in cruising, because it does not occupy a bed. ;hotel. Between January and June, about 50% of US visitors to the island did exactly that. In Cuba, 17 cruise lines operate, such as Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Cruises, with growth of 28.6% in the first quarter of this year.
Although the latest data on US tourism, known this Wednesday from sources cited by the agency Reuters are more optimistic than those of the same period last year, with a increase of 5% (68,000 Americans of non-Cuban origin), the outlook remains negative. All the more so if we take into account the post-thaw euphoria.
World tourism figures, about 2.5 million visitors, decreased by more than 5% between January and June 2018
. tourism, some 2.5 million visitors, dropped by more than 5% between January and June 2018. Data includes first six month cruises, which attracted 379,000 people to the island, or 45% more in 2017. Given the only American tourists, the fall of the whole semester is 24%.
The impact on businesses in tourist areas did not take long to come. Restaurants that barely manage to fill half of their tables, rent homes that have gone up by more than 80% to see their rooms almost empty and public agencies to rent vehicles that a year ago could not to face. full of cars.
"One yuma less, two more Cubans," Luciano explains in simple arithmetic. "When Americans arrive on cruise ships, they do not rent accommodation and this puts pressure on them, so many hotels that no longer offer capacity for the domestic market are forced to do so and even lower price. for one night, I book for a couple of nationals. "
" It also influences that we are out of season at the moment, for the foreigners there is a lot of heat, but the Cubans like these dates to go to the beach. "Among the examples, it mentions the accommodations of Cayo Daiquirí and some exclusive resorts of Varadero
"These are places that have been sold in particular by foreign companies, but which appear more and more in our catalogs, "he explains." Hotels that are run by Spanish companies or from other countries are the most requested by Cubans because they know that the treatment is better, as well as the conditions and the offer, "he says." It's time to catch such a place. "
Tatiana, daughter of Cuban and from Russian, agrees with this opinion. "I have all the abilities already reserved for this summer, but I'm waiting for other offers to fall, "he explains by phone to this newspaper. With contacts in tourist agencies in the style of Cubatur, the young woman sells all-inclusive packages in Viñales, Trinidad and Varadero, to which she adds transportation and collection "in the corner of the house."
"Working with clients Cubans three years ago and I still prefer them," he says. "It is true that when one arrives at a hotel with ten or fifteen Cuban families, the treatment is not the same, but it is a clientele that does not depend on the arrival of the family. a plane, at the arrival of the cruise, which is sold in another country They are already there. "
" On the other hand, I can very well communicate with them and customers with who I work for some time know the rules ". Tatiana considers, however, that a four or five star hotel with all inclusive is very likely that a Cuban guest will be more expensive. "He eats a lot more and also tries to taste a lot of drinks that he does not consume frequently, such as expensive wines, whiskey and even champagne," he explains. That's why, if anything, they will make more affordable deals for those here. "
Most of Tatiana's clients are" new rich. "Cubans who receive remittances from abroad, are engaged in private businesses, have tickets through the sale of works of art or are part of musical groups. "From time to time comes a casual client who wants to prepare a trip paid by a relative who is on vacation in Miami," he explains. "These are all people with convertible pesos, from one side or the other. "
The less affluent people frequently resort to Popular Campismo, a plan created by Fidel Castro in 1981 to" extend by valleys " , beaches and mountains ", a form of accommodation and fun accessible to all". The option, with very modest accommodation conditions, does not enjoy a very good reputation among the social sectors that already aspire to more comfort.
"I sell parcels to Cubans but I treat them like people, it's not because they're national. than to give them a worse product, "says Tatiana." In the end, they are the ones who maintain my business, and it is in my interest that foreign tourism continues to decline because hotels will not close for it, they make more affordable deals for those here. "[19659002] ___________________________________________________________________________
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