Cuba’s Tourism Minister Says Pandemic “Is No Longer A Worry”

“In Cuba, the pandemic is no longer a worry,” said the nation’s Minister of Tourism Juan Carlos Garcia Granda at a lunch in Toronto with travel media and tour operator and hotel representatives.

Granda thanked his country’s doctors and healthcare workers for developing vaccines and successfully innoculating 90% of the population. In a significant feat for a country of 11 million people, Cuban scientists developed three homegrown vaccines that have met international standards.

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“It is doctors who have allowed us to be here today. If they had not invented the vaccines, it would be very hard for us to buy the Pfizer vaccine or any other vaccine,” Granda said.

The minister says a very small number of COVID cases are being detected each day, and “they are no more severe than a simple flu.”

This has allowed Cuba to eliminate testing requirements for arrivals and mask mandates in hotels. All 10 international airports, three cruise terminals and 10 ports and international marinas are open for business.

Granda says the pandemic sent Cuban tourism “back in time about 30 years,” and its recovery is extremely important for the overall economy. He jokingly said that he will be remembered in the history books as “the minister who sent all the people back to their countries.”

Tourism officials have set a goal of 2.5 million visitors in 2022. As of the end of May, about 567,000 had arrived, which Granda admitted was below expectations, largely due to the impact of COVID variants in the critical winter months at the start of the year.

“We need an excellent summer and end to the year, and more air capacity, but that is coming into place,” Granda said.

The minister told his audience that Canada has quickly returned to first place among source markets, with nearly 170,000 Canadian arrivals in April alone. And he said the changes in U.S. rules that have caused arrivals from America to soar and plummet in recent years has reminded Cuba who its friends are.

“We have always had a phase where they came, they took over and they left. It’s time to learn our lessons and remain faithful to the countries that have stayed with us, like Canada and Europe.”

Granda said one of Cuba’s biggest tourism attributes is providing an atmosphere where visitors feel safe to travel and mix with local people.

“There are very few countries that offer the safety for tourists to walk freely around the country. The highest risk is to make friends with the Cubans.”

The minister said he’s excited about an initiative that gives Blue Diamonds Resorts the management reins of 2,200 rooms in Cayo Largo del Sur, off the island’s south coast. He says Cuba will work together with Blue Diamond to deliver a “totally renewed product,” and says the goal is to get at least one of the properties to “5-star Royalton level.”

Cuba will continue to promote its diverse off-the beach attractions, Granda said, introducing a new advertising campaign branded ‘Cuba Uniqa.’ The campaign highlights the nation’s unique culture and its people who Granda called “the best ambassadors of our country.”

The Cuban toursm minister showed his sense of humour again in promoting ‘Varadero Gourmet,’ an annual convention seen as the country’s most important gastronomic event.

“We know the main complaint of Canadians is the food. But we have lots to show. We’re going to work on that delivery and we’re going to solve it.”