(EFE). – In the first semester of 2021, Cuba welcomed a total of 114,460 international travelers, which is 870,739 fewer visitors (11.6%) compared to the same period in 2020, according to the latest data published by the Office for National Statistics and Information (Only me) .
Most of the visitors came from Russia – with 72,304 travelers – which became the main source of tourists to the island during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Followed by the Cuban expatriate community, which recorded 12,207 travelers between January and June, who arrived mainly from countries such as the United States (7,258), Spain (2393), Mexico (658), France (473), Panama (462) and the Bahamas ( 344 and Germany (218).
The rest of the travelers came from Germany, from which 4,719 tourists arrived; others traveled from Spain (3753); Canada (2,296), the Philippines (2,017), Italy (1,680), the United States (1,565), France (1,511), Ukraine (1,070) and the United Kingdom (1,061).
The report states that during the year 2020, Cuba received just over one million visitors, and in 2019 the number of visitors reached more than 4.2 million.
Regarding the reasons for travel, 99,669 tourists visited the country for leisure, recreation and holidays; 1843 He did so for commercial and professional reasons; 45 for juveniles; and 12903 for other reasons.
The report states that during the year 2020, Cuba received just over one million visitors, and in 2019 the number of visitors reached more than 4.2 million.
Cuba has announced that it will fully reopen its doors to tourism from November 15 while reducing antiviral measures that abolish mandatory post-arrival quarantines and increasing international flights.
Before the pandemic, tourism was the third official source of foreign exchange income – behind remittances and the sale of professional services abroad – and contributed about 10% of GDP.
The country plans to receive about 4.5 million international visitors last year and reverse a 9.3% decline in 2019, when 4.2 million tourists traveled to the country, 436,352 fewer than in 2018, according to official data.
________________________
Cooperation with our business:
Team 14 Medi He is committed to doing serious journalism that reflects the true depths of Cuba. Thank you for joining us on this long road. We invite you to continue our support but this time Become a member of our magazine. Together, we can continue to change the press in Cuba.
“Award-winning alcohol trailblazer. Hipster-friendly internetaholic. Twitter ninja. Infuriatingly humble beer lover. Pop culture nerd.”