ttc itb 2015
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30TTC Gets Ready
for FITCuba 2015
22DominicanRepublic
Best Caribbean Tourist Islands...
104Haiti to be Venue
of Annual Regional Meeting of UNWTO
In 2014 Germany became the first European market and the third absolute market for Dominican tourism. It has surpassed France
precisely in the last month of last year, registering 230,733 German passenger arrivals to Dominican airports. 22
Germany, Dominican Tourism’s First European Market
Cuba in iTb anD MorE GErMans in Cuba After closing 2014 with a 20% increase in the German market, which took second place among its issuing markets, Cuba is present in ITB 2015 at Stand 223, Hall 3.1. 2
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Tourism in the Caribbean reached a historic record in 2014 with 26.3 million visitors, a 5.3% increase compared to 2013, as well as a record
spending of US$29.2 billion, 3.9% more than the US$28 billion spent the previous year. This was announced in the annual report of the Caribbe-
an Tourism Organization (CTO), which in turn forecasts for the region a 4 to 5% increase in 2015. 4
Caribbean Tourism record in 2014
International Tourism Publication founded in 1996Year XV • No. 236 • March 2015 • ISSN 1724-5370
www.traveltradecaribbean.com
# 236
TTC Travel Trade Caribbean srl Via Balbo, 1 Chieri. Torino, Italia
Tel. +39 3938196638
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Web www.traveltradecaribbean.com
Honorary President Renzo Druetto
Principal Director Giuseppe Ferraris
General Director Alfredo Rodríguez [email protected]
Editorial Director Italy Roberto Barbieri [email protected]
Editorial Staff Cuba Josefina Pichardo [email protected]
Francisco Forteza [email protected]
Editorial Staff Dominican Republic Francesco Pandolfo [email protected]
Marketing Italy Paola Germano [email protected]
Marketing Cuba Guadalupe Pérez [email protected]
Marketing Dominican Republic Flavia Anelli [email protected]
Graphic Design Andro Liuben Pérez Diz [email protected]
Online Marketing Manager Hairo Rodríguez [email protected]
Webmaster Jesus Rodríguez Jr. [email protected]
Website Narmys Cándano [email protected]
Collaboration Ana Cecilia Herrera [email protected]
Dagmara Blanco [email protected]
Ernesto L. Rodríguez [email protected]
Magdalena García [email protected]
María E. Leyva [email protected]
Mirta Valdés [email protected]
Mercedes Guillot
Print Micrograf S.r.l.
TTC Travel Trade Caribbean srl Registered at the Milan Court, number 166, 13/03/2002. Registered at the Chamber of Commerce: 08/01/2001. Registered in ROC Italia.
Iberia will reestablish its regular Madrid-Havana line starting next June 1, with five weekly flights that will land in the Cuban capital on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
In addition, it will expand by 40% its offer to the Dominican Republic with a daily flight, starting April, to Santo Domingo, in schedules that allow for better connections through the
T4 with more than 80 destinations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The Spanish airline chose Panama as its re-gional venue and in fact increased its frequencies to that country. Moreover, it announced that it will start flying to new destinations in Latin Amer-ica like the Colombian cities of Cali and Medellin, and that it could land in Managua in 2016.
iberia Expands operations in Caribbean
Continued from page 1—In 2014, 139,136 Ger-mans visited the island, 120% more than in 2013; it climbed to second place in the ranking of foreign visitors to the destination, after Cana-da and followed by the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Mexico and Venezuela.
With the new German airlines’ flights that will be added this 2015, Cuba forecasts that the arrivals from Germany will continue to increase, based on the effective backing and work of the tour operators marketing Cuba for that market, which continues having a sustained emission to the destination.
The Cuban tourist authorities are immersed in the development of projects to expand the communication channels with events with a large German participation, as well as the Au-thentic Cuba campaign.
One of Cuba’s principal actions in ITB 2015 is to promote the 35th edition of the International Tourism Fair (FITCuba 2015), the most important event of the island’s tourist industry, to be held next May 5-7, dedicated to Italy as guest coun-
try, to Jardines del Rey and to nautical tourism as a product.
Cuba’s other goals in ITB include strengthen-ing the links with the most important German partners for the tourist operation from the mar-ket, as well as presenting to professionals and the public in general the variety of the island’s tourist product, especially the potentials of Ha-vana, Varadero, Cayos de Villa Clara, Jardines del Rey, Holguín and Santiago de Cuba, destina-tions preferred by the German visitors.
The Cuban delegation is made up by the Tourism Counselor of the Cuban Embassy in Ger-many, the Minister of Tourism, the Havanatur In-ternational Group of Tour Operators and its rep-resentation in Berlin; the Gran Caribe, Islazul, Cubanacán, Habaguanex and Gaviota Group hotel chains; the Gaviota Tours, Cubatur, Ecotur, San Cristóbal and Viajes Cubanacán agencies; complementary entities like Caracol, Marlin and Paradiso; and the Meliá Hotels International, Iberostar, Barceló, SuperClubs, Blue Diamond and Roc Hotels associated hotel chains.
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Cuba in iTb and More Germans in Cuba
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Tourism is considered a key activity for eco-nomic progress and social cohesion, very es-pecially for the Small Developing Island States which in 2013 were visited by 41 million interna-tional tourists who generated US$61 billion in incomes from abroad.
The islands have in nature tourism a compet-itive advantage and in half of them the sector represents more than 40% of the value of all the exports of goods and services, pointed out Rifai. In 2013 the international tourist arrivals to this region increased 3%, while incomes for this activity grew by 6%.
Haiti was able to significantly increase inter-national tourism arrivals and incomes by 20% and 32% in 2012 and 2013, respectively, accord-ing to data published by Radio Metropole.
of using tourism as a driving force to improve Haiti’s living conditions. Rifai commented that tourism opened the way for generating job posts and to back the country’s economy and that this meeting couldn’t have been more op-portune, at a time of transition toward new sus-tainable development goals after 2015, which underlines the potential of tourism as a natural ally for socioeconomic progress.
Haiti will be the venue of the Regional Com-mission of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for the Americas, an annual meeting in which tourism authorities participate and which will be held in Port-au-Prince next May 19-22.
For the first time Haiti will be the venue of a regional meeting of the UNWTO and it is ex-pected that the 58th session of the Commission will contribute to preparing the destination to take advantage of the boost in the region’s tourism growth and open opportunities for sus-tainable development through this sector, the Caribbean nation’s minister of tourism, Steph-anie Balmir Villedrouin, said –published by www.listindiario.com.
Meanwhile, UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai praised President Michel Martelly’s policy
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third for the Dominican Republic, with +7.74%.
Regarding 2015, the secretary general of the CTO, Hugh Riley, said he felt optimistic about the “increase in the economic activity in the principal issuing markets” to the region and the fact that sever-al of the member countries “have negotiated additional routes with airlines to increase seat capacity during the year.”
The tourist authorities also have set their sights on Cuba, where the arrival of more visitors is pre-viewed for this year after relations between Havana and Washington are starting to thaw.
The Dutch Caribbean had the greatest growth: Aruba report-ed for the first time more than a million visitors. The Dominican Republic, Cuba and Jamaica al-so received an unprecedented number of tourists. Smaller des-tinations like Haiti, Saint Lucia and Belize reported record arrival figures.
An increase of tourists coming from Canada, the United States and Europe helped achieve those figures. Specifically Germany in-creased, to close as the second market for Cuba, where it regis-tered a 20% increase in arrivals in 2014 with respect to 2013, and the
“There is no doubt that 2014 was the strongest year for the Ca-ribbean’s tourism... political and economic conditions increased airline seat capacity, improved airport facilities, increased room stock –as recognized hotel chains established themselves in our des-tinations– and new initiatives in the marketplace... All this is an in-dication that vacations in the Ca-ribbean are still in demand; it is a sign that, despite the moderate growth, stability is reaching our markets and consumers’ confi-dence is on the rise,” said Sealy, al-so Barbados’s Minister of Tourism and International Transport.
Continued from page 1—Richard Sealy, chairman of the CTO, an-nounced during a press confer-ence that the organization had previewed a 2 to 3% increase, which is why the figure was very well received, especially if it is tak-en into account that world tourism registered a mean growth of 4.7%, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The tourist industry in the Ca-ribbean is already reporting five straight years of growth after the economic crisis, and it is possible that this year it will break another record if it meets the CTO’s fore-cast of growing between 4 and 5%.
Caribbean Tourism record in 2014
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Travel Trade Caribbean • Year XV • No. 236 • March 2015news
Jardines del rey
logical since it uses photovoltaic cells for power generation. The installa-tion will have a dock and boardwalks up to the beach and will cater to clients who enjoy the catamaran excursions to the coral barrier for diving, snorkeling and sports fishing.
To support the presentation of nautical tourism, a product to which FITCuba 2015 is dedicated, a general remodeling is being carried out of the Cayo Guillermo Marina Marlin, which includes the repair and maintenance of motorboats and vessels.
Jardines del Rey, with its principal attractions in Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo, is located on the northern coast of Ciego de Avila, at some 480 kilometers from Havana, and has more than 6,000 rooms in 16 hotels. In 2014 the beach resort received close to 400,000 tourists from diverse coun-tries, a 5% growth with respect to the previous year, which is why it contin-ues being the leader among the principal Cuban destinations.
A wide-ranging investment process is underway in the Cuban Jardines del Rey beach resort with a view to the holding in that tourist destination of the 35th edition of FITCuba next May 5-7.
Tourism authorities in the province of Ciego de Avila, where this desti-nation is located, reported that they are working to improve the comfort of the rooms and of the exterior and service areas of the hotel plant in order to increase the quality standards of the installations. The roads, signs, em-bellishment of the environment and the buildings’ gardens are also being rehabilitated.
In addition there are the openings, like that of a thatched-roofed ranchón restaurant for 120 patrons in Cayo Media Luna, completely eco-
Venue of FiTCuba 2015 Gets readied
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includes tours of the countryside and through therapeutic paths, as well as camping in parks, according to the drawing of lots –those who want to go camping will have other options.
The fourth day is set aside for tours of the countryside and the fifth to visit museums, inau-gurate a photographic display of photos taken during previous editions, touring Cienfuegos’ Escambray and, to culminate, the awards cere-mony, the closing and farewell.
The packages include seven nights of ac-commodations (two in Havana in Plan CP and five in Topes de Collantes in Plan AP), collective transportation and specialized guide service.
A Grand Prize and first, second and third place for each category will be awarded. The Grand Prize will consist of a six-night stay in the Playa Cayo Santa María Hotel and the first plac-es of two nights in Los Helechos Hotel. The rest of the contestants will enjoy an excursion to Topes de Collantes with one night of accommo-dation –all of them with a companion.
[email protected] [email protected] Topes de Collantes Tourist Complex Sancti Spíritus. Tel: +(53 42) 54 0117 www.gaviota-grupo.com
The Topes de Collantes Protected Natural Landscape, in the very heart of the Guamu-haya mountain range in Cuba, will be the
scenario for the Fourth International Nature Pho-tography International Contest between Sep-tember 7th-12th, 2015, summoned by the Gaviota Tourism Group S.A.
Just 20 km from Trinidad, a World Heritage Site, it covers a rugged surface of more than 20,000 hectares of the provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos and Sancti Spíritus, with heights of between 250 and 900 meters above sea level. This area stands out for the wealth and exclu-siveness of its biodiversity. Its attractive land-scape comprises forests, rivers and streams with capricious waterfalls and natural pools, capable of pleasing the most demanding ecotourists.
Landscape, Flora and Fauna, Man and Nature and Macro are the contest’s categories; each participant will select up to three photos for each one, which will be handed over in TIFF or JPEG format (300 ppp).
All interested photographers will be able to contest with photos taken during the days of the event along Topes de Collantes’ paths.
Transport from Havana to Topes, the accredi-tation and the opening are previewed for the first day. The program for the second and third days
nature Photography in Topes de Collantes’ Exquisite spots
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the group of northern cays are already com-mitted.
Meanwhile, investments in the real estate development projects associated to golf cours-es in El Faro/El Jagüey, Cienfuegos, and in Loma Linda, Guardalavaca, are being promoted.
In an interview for the weekly Opciones, MINTUR Business Director José R. Daniel Alonso explained that the operation to create joint ven-tures for the development of real estate compa-nies linked to tourism also contains the buying and selling of homes, in addition to the tourist complement that golf and other non-hotel activi-ties contribute. Regarding the franchises, he spec-ified that the Cuban side contributes the technical advice for their creation, while the foreign party assumes the remaining part of the investment and a monthly royalty for that service.
tor to manage and market under its brand, for five extendable years.
The other variant, which has aroused the in-terest of managements willing to invest capi-tal in the island’s tourist sector, allows the for-eign partner to provide financing to restore the building which they will manage, in which case greater contractual facilities are negotiated for recovering the investment.
By tourist destinations, the opportuni-ties presented are concentrated in the con-struction and marketing of hotel and/or vil-la capacities of high standard in Cienfuegos, Trinidad, the Santa Lucía beach (Camagüey), Covarrubias (Las Tunas) and Guardalavaca (Holguín), which are prioritized regions. Ha-vana and Varadero could be exceptionally considered; Old Havana, Playas del Este and
A new Business Opportunities Portfolio of the Ministry of Tourism of Cuba (MINTUR), updated after the coming into force of Law 118 on For-eign Investment, offers the modalities of hotel management contracts and the constitution of joint ventures for the development of real es-tate companies linked to tourism, and opens possibilities for the creation of joint ventures for hotel developments and service management contracts.
With a view to further strengthening the management and marketing contracts, the Cat-alog gives details of 33 Gran Caribe, Cubanacán and Gaviota installations that could be man-aged by foreign groups.
These contracts can be carried out in two ways. One, the Cuban side is the owner of the installation and contracts a foreign administra-
More business opportunities in Cuba’s Tourism
investments in the real estate
development projects are being
strongly promoted.
▶ TTC GETS READY FOR FITCubA 2015
tourist operators that market the Cuban destination for the Italian market.
The Cuba-Italy Business Com-mittee has been present at the fair for three years and has been gain-ing strength and structure; today it already has statutes recognized in Italy, a growth that has come hand in hand with the increase in the two country’s bilateral rela-tions.
Italy ranks eighth in Cuba’s commercial exchange with the world and second in the Europe-an sphere. His Excellency Mr. Car-mine Robustelli, Italian ambassa-dor to Cuba, has publicly affirmed that “there exists a growing inter-est by Cuban and Italian institu-tions to have closer economic as well as political and cultural rela-tions.”
travel agencies, and around 40 that operate from Italy, make up the principal core of the group of
tional Registry of Travel Agencies, plus some 10 that are present in the market, represented by Cuban
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Disclosing the work of Ital-ian entities present in Cuba which are somehow linked
to the tourist sector is one more way of promoting Italy’s designa-tion as guest of honor country to the 35th International Tourism Fair FITCuba 2015, to be held May 5-7.
Forty-three Italian companies appear in the Chamber of Com-merce of the Republic of Cuba’s National Registry of Foreign Mer-cantile Society Branches and Agents, many of which pay tribute in one way or another to the Carib-bean island’s tourism, be it as air-lines, providers of technology and technical services or as distribu-tors of food, beverages, inputs and materials for hotels, restaurants and investments in the sector.
Moreover, four Italian agencies accredited in the Chamber’s Na-
italian Companies Pay Tribute to
Tourism in Cuba
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fers, excursions, car rentals, Fly and Drive and Flexi Fly and Drive.
Nelson Hernández, director responsible for this market, said in an exclusive for TTC: “The German market has great importance for Viajes Cubanacán. We are betting on offering new products and services, as well as diversifying our offer, with the aim of pleasing the most di-verse and demanding requests.”
land’s beauty and being in direct contact with its culture and history, plus the incomparable friendship and hospitality of the Cuban people.
During 2014 the Agency received more than 29,000 German tourists, 12% more than in 2013.
Statistics show that Havana, Trinidad, Pinar del Río, Santiago de Cuba, Holguín and the cays were the most visited destinations, and the products that sold the most were tours, trans-
The Viajes Cubanacán Agency offers Ger-man clients a varied range of products for enjoying a pleasant stay in Cuba; seven-to
14-day circuits, excursions, transportation and accommodations in all the tourist destinations, are just some of them.
Clients can also opt for programs with cars and of ecotourism, always providing visitors the possibility of getting acquainted with the is-
Viajes Cubanacán offers for German Market
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tory with beaches and its colonial district with French architecture buildings.
Saint Martin-Sint Maarten is characterized for having the best of two cultures: the Dutch and the French. With no customs or patrol boats guarding the two zone’s separation, tourists can gain access to any place; its cost per room is 267 dollars. Curacao, described by the publication as a destination for serious divers, also has parks with natural attractions; the average cost per room is 190 dollars.
Bahamas, in second place, has an average cost per room of 300 dollars; beaches with pristine wa-ters, golf courses, duty free zone for shopping and natural parks. Saint Bathelemy ranked third thanks to its great density of terri-
Puerto Rico owes its top rank-ing to its easy connection from New York, 348 attractions dissem-inated by TripAdvisor, the amount of coasts per square kilometer and the average cost of a hotel room (187 dollars).
Puerto rico is ranked first among 25 best Caribbean islands for tourism.
The U.S. magazine Business Insid-er ranked Puerto Rico in first place on its list of the 25 best Caribbean islands for tourism, followed by Bahamas, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin-Sint Maarten and Curacao.
In sixth to 25th positions are: Dominican Republic, Cayman Is-lands, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Jamai-ca, Virgin Islands (U.S.), Barbados, Montserrat, Cuba, Martinique, Aruba, Trinidad and Tobago, Brit-ish Virgin Islands, Saint Lucia, An-tigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Gre-nada, Turks and Caicos, Dominica, Guadeloupe and Haiti.
best Caribbean Tourist islands according to Business Insider
The Caribbean region welcomed nearly 24 million cruise ship passen-gers in 2014, an 8% increase, according to the Caribbean Tourism Or-ganization (CTO). For 2015, the Cruise Lines International Association
forecasts that the Caribbean will continue being the king of that industry, with more than a third of the market quota.
Last year, 4,497,904 persons, 21% more than in 2013, arrived in the Yu-catan Peninsula on cruise ships, a historic record. According to the Sec-retariat of Communications and Transportation, 1,369 cruise ships arrived, 252 more than in 2013. In Quintana Roo, Cozumel is consolidated as the country’s most important destination followed by Ensenada, Majahual and Puerto Progreso.
Eleven cruise lines included the Dominican Republic on their route during this season: Holland America Line, SilverSea, Aida Cruises, Costa Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Sea Cloud, Carnival Cruise Line, TUI, MSC, in addition to the usual operation of the Ferry. In 2015, this destination plans on receiving 620,169 cruise tourists, +46.4% with respect to the referential year (2011), the director of the Cruise Department of the Ministry of Tourism, Orfila Salazar, revealed to arecoa.com. It is estimated the ship companies will make some 300 stopovers and there are plans for the sustained development in terms of cruises at an an-nual rate of 10% during the period of 2012-2016.
A modality in frank growth for Cuba, some 240 stopovers in the coun-try’s ports by 17 cruise ships are previewed for this peak season, Minister of Tourism Manuel Marrero said. Seven points of the Cuban geography serve as stopovers for cruise ships: Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, An-
cón, Rancho Luna and Puerto Francés (Isla de la Juventud) beaches and the port of Antilla (Holguín). With the only established mother port in Havana, the Louis Cristal cruise ship, of the Canadian company Cuba Cruise, every week has an exclusive route around the island with stopovers in several ports in addition to visits to Montego Bay in Jamaica.
Meanwhile, in Panama some 90,000 passengers boarded cruise ships; for the next season the figure should surpass 110,000 persons and 70 ships could arrive. An economic injection is projected of more than 35 million dollars. Pullmantur, Princess Cruises, Holland America, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean are some of the ship companies that have included the country in its plans this year. Thompson Cruises will make its debut in 2015 and will carry out 10 visits to the country in 2016.
Puerto Rico has lived the best season of its history: the number of cruise ships increased and that of passengers increased by 31%, sur-passing the figure of 1.5 million, a record that has made the cruise indus-try take off after years without growth on the island, according to the Tourism Company.
Grenada officially reported that in 2014 cruise ship arrivals and travel-ers’ spending increased by 29% with respect to 2013. The ships made 162 stopovers with a total of 254,248 passengers who spent 28 million dollars. A 25% increase in arrivals is forecast for the current season compared to the previous one.
It seems that those who affirm that the cruise ship movement in the Caribbean is one of the best businesses of those islands every peak season are right.
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strong Cruise season in the Caribbean
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Travel Trade Caribbean • Year XV • No. 236 • March 2015caribbean
complex music, with such a long trajectory; se-lecting 14 titles by Marta Valdés for an album, representative of several of her creative stages, since the 1950s –her first song, ‘Palabras’, which gives it its name– followed by the 1960s and 1970s; then doing the arrangements, mixing...
“I want to refer to the musicians I have had the luck of working with lately [Enrique Plá, drums; Jorge Reyes, acoustic bass; and Nam San Fong, guitar] starting with the record Palabras and we have continued in the live concerts I started in October 2014; it is a format that var-ies, sometimes a trio and others a quartet, when I join in playing the piano. I feel very good with them and I hope we continue working together for a long time.
“My repertoire in the concerts I am giving marks a tour of my record productions, songs by Descemer, some which are mine, others by Marta Valdés and also by my father.”
Several international tours in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Spain, United States, Chile, Japan and Argentina; four film projects, some 20 presen-tations and around 40 collaborations with rel-evant world music personalities also endorse Haydée’s work.
To conclude, she spoke of the future…. “Something I have not commented on before, but now I am interested in people knowing that I am making a record with my dad; it is still in-cipient, we have just started choosing the rep-ertoire and we have recorded only some things. It is the most important project for me in every sense, in the sentimental because it is my father apart from the admiration I feel for him and for his music,” concluded Haydée.
www.haydeemilanes.com
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Her first album, Haydée (2004), produced by Descemer Bueno, made her known as a soloist. Her second recording Haydée Milanés en vivo (Haydée Milanés Live; 2008), is a compilation of 13 songs recorded during a concert given in the Covarrubias Hall of the National Theater. It was followed by A la felicidad (To Happiness; 2010), in which she is the composer of the 11 songs, ar-ranger and producer and Haydée Milanés en el Chaplin (Haydée Milanés in the Chaplin; 2012), unpublished.
“My most recent project, Palabras (Words; 2014), has been the most ambitious and the one into which I have put the greatest effort; I spent three years constantly studying and research-ing. It was a challenge to work such a full and
With her sober manner, im-peccable simplicity and a great deal of grace, Haydée Milanés takes over the stage and wins over her public right from the first strains.
She gave an interview to TTC in this edition because, according to her, “I found out that it was the most important fair in the professional sphere of tourism, but also because Germany is a very cultural country, that has always greatly caught my attention; I chose it for several rea-sons, I visited it once and in fact I have yearned to spend some time in Berlin, working there and getting to know it well.”
Born in Havana, Cuba (1980), at the ear-ly age of six Haydée began her piano, choral direction and musical theory studies in Hava-na, to conclude them in Switzerland, with old chanting.
The daughter of an outstanding figure of the New Song Movement, Pablo Milanés, she was mainly influenced by him. “The most important influence is that of my dad, of having grown up listening to his music, seeing him perform and interpreting his songs. Other musicians who visited my home and played old songs from the early 20th century also had an influence, as well as the music he listened to, especially the one that made a deep impression on me, Brazilian song. All this contributed to my musical taste and interpretation.”
About the genesis of her versatility, without hesitation she said, “My roots are in Cuban song, together with that from Brazil and the U.S., the old trova and the New Song Movement, feeling, pop, jazz, but essentially Cuban song, which takes from all those genres.”
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TTC INTERVIEWS HAYDÉE MILANÉS
Haydée Milanés: My roots are in Cuban song
Travel Trade Caribbean • Year XV • No. 236 • March 2015
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interview
FiTCuba 2015 will be held in Cayo Coco’s Meliá Jardines del rey Hotel and will also
be dedicated to the Jardines del rey tourist destination and to nautical tourism.
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Dedicated to Italy as honor-ary guest country, the 35th International Tourism Fair
(FITCuba 2015) will be held in Cayo Coco’s Meliá Jardines del Rey Ho-tel next May 5-7.
With the aim of assessing the areas of the hotel venue and plan-ning Italy’s official participation in the Fair as guest country, Mr. Alva-ro Gómez Carrillo, Trade Analyst of the Competent Office for Cuba and other area countries, of the Italian Agency for Foreign Trade (IFT), and Italian Embassy to Cuba Counselor Dr. Trancredi Francese, made a visit to those installations.
They held a working meeting with Dalia González, communi-cation director of the Cuban Min-istry of Tourism; Claudia Torres, a specialist with that department; and Mr. Eynel Manuel Verdura, sales head of the Meliá Jardines del Rey, during which they dealt with aspects like the hotel’s facil-ities and conditions, the theme areas of the fair and other orga-nizational details regarding Italy’s participation.
It should be highlighted that the IFT Agency, together with the valuable support of the Italian Em-bassy to Cuba, will be totally re-sponsible for the organization and coordination of Italy’s official par-ticipation in FITCuba.
The island’s fourth tourist issu-ing market in 2014, Italy registered a 17.3% growth with respect to 2013. In FITCuba it will be honored based on its potentials as an important market and its recovery in the op-eration of clubs in diverse hotels.
FITCuba 2015 will also be dedi-cated to the Jardines del Rey tour-ist destination and to nautical tourism. In addition to the usu-al commercial negotiations, as a novelty in this edition and apro-pos the coming into force of Law 118 on Foreign Investment in Cu-ba, the fair will place emphasis on business. According to this, a busi-ness pavilion will be opened giv-en the high amount of investment proposals. For the occasion, Italian suppliers will exhibit the products they market in the gastronomic and nautical spheres.
italy readies for FiTCuba 2015
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Travel Trade Caribbean • Year XV • No. 236 • March 2015 events
Kite surfing school with German Hola Tour operatorAn international kite surfing school with the German Hola tour operator is operat-ing in the Sol Cayo Guillermo Hotel, in the Cuban Jardines del Rey destination, after more than a year receiving tourists for the practice of this sport.
In the current winter season, Jardines del Rey, the only Cuban enclave where this extreme sport is currently being practiced, is expecting the arrival of some 600 kite surfers from European countries, mainly from Germany.
That tourist destination has two inter-national kite surfing schools –the other is located in the Gran Caribe Club Cayo Guillermo Hotel, with a French Canadi-an representative. Its beaches have the ideal conditions for the development of kite surfing due to their shallow waters of up to one kilometer out so sea, the few waves and the regimen of very stable winds during the entire year, according to studies carried out.
Kite surfing, a new modality in the des-tination, in full development and organi-zation, is considered a risk sport which is why the safety measures have to be ex-treme, for which there are three jet skis to provide the service of rescue in the areas.
During the next International Tourism Fair (FITCuba 2015), to be held in Jardines del Rey and which will be dedicated to water sports, this new non-hotel prod-uct will be presented and there will be a Kite Surfing Festival for which the partic-ipation of important personalities of this sport in the world is expected.
Cuba is planning on extending kite surfing to other hotels in this destination and even the beach resorts of Varadero, Santa Lucía (in Camagüey), Guardalavaca (in Holguín) and Tarará and Santa María del Mar, in Havana.
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Cuba confirmed at the Madrid Interna-tional Tourism Fair (Fitur) that it is open to investments and business in the sec-
tor, in which work is underway today to equip it with greater options and capacities, affirmed Cubadebate, with information from Prensa Latina news agency.
When updating Spanish businesspeople, tour operators and representatives of airlines about the sector’s conditions, Cuban Minister of Tourism Manuel Marrero affirmed that the in-dustry continues growing, backed by investors’ renewed interest.
Together with this, said Marrero during a Cu-ban gala on the occasion of Fitur, a substantial increase of visits by Spaniards and Europeans is expected as a result of recent decisions by the airlines, among other factors.
With Iberia’s reopening of the route to Cuba starting next June 1, the reiteration of opera-tions by Air Europa and Cubana de Aviación and the expansion of Evelope Airlines, in 2015 there will be 16 weekly flights from Madrid to Havana, the minister specified.
According to his estimates, this will repre-sent from 25,000 to 30,000 more travelers this year from Europe, the majority Spanish.
Marrero also confirmed an explosive increase of applications for investments after the ap-
proval of a new law for the sector and the con-tinued annual growth rate of some 2,500 rooms, in addition to other infrastructure projects.
Among the latter he highlighted the con-struction of a water park in Varadero and real estate complexes with golf courses as a comple-ment of the country’s tourist offer.
Another projection, he said, is the inaugura-tion during the next Cuban Tourism Fair, sched-uled for May 5-7 in Jardines del Rey, of a busi-ness pavilion given the high level of investment proposals.
He noted that, though the ban on tourism to Cuba for U.S. citizens continues, new measures announced by President Barack Obama facili-tate 12 categories of trips with a cultural, scien-tific and religious profile, among others.
In response to the fear of some tour opera-tors, Marrero affirmed that there will not be an avalanche detrimental to travelers from that continent, since there are rooms for more than the 3,200,745 received in 2014 and the capacity continues being expanded.
During the Cuban Night dedicated to pro-moting the sector, the secretary general of the World Tourism Organization, Taleb Rifai, coin-cided in previewing for Cuban tourism a bril-liant and promising future for the expansion of that industry.
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Cuban Tourism open to business and investments,
affirms Minister of the sector
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Travel Trade Caribbean • Year XV • No. 236 • March 2015tourism
Gran Caribe Villa Tortuga
the Kawama precisely stands out for its architectural design, in ad-dition to its rooted tradition that makes it a long-lasting part of Va-radero’s history.
The reception is found in the principal building which recreates the atmosphere of an old Spanish colonial villa with arches and quar-ry stone walls.
In addition to comfortable rooms, it offers its guests the pos-sibility of practicing various water sports.
▶ Villa TortugaIt is an ideal space to share with
the family. This three-star installa-tion with 292 rooms is marketed in the all-inclusive modality.
Located in a central zone and very close to the beach, Villa Tor-tuga is especially recommended for those looking forward to en-joying nature in harmony with high-comfort services.
Two picturesque and welcom-ing Gran Caribe hotels operate in that paradise.
▶ Club KawamaAn ideal spot for families and
couples who decide to visit Cuba, this three-star hotel has 366 rooms and operates under the all-inclu-sive modality.
Made up by a group of hous-es, cabanas and bungalows sur-rounded by green gardens and located very near to the seashore,
Gran Caribe in Varadero…Famous for being one of the
most beautiful beaches in the world and one of Cuba’s most visited tour-ist destinations, the Varadero beach resort extends along 22 km of fine white sandy beaches caressed by crystalline waters of an agreeable temperature the year round. Its seabed, of singular beauty, is ideal for contemplative diving and oth-er water sports.
Exclusiveness, good taste and culture have main-tained for decades the Gran
Caribe Hotel Group in the prefer-ence of the most diverse and de-manding publics. With 54 hotels, it receives tourists from all over the world, who find in its instal-lations an ideal combination: a wide variety of services and hos-pitality.
Gran Caribe is undertaking a group of modifications this year, in their majority geared at improv-ing the image of the rooms, public areas and restaurants, while con-tinuing to renovate to provide its clients with the best recreational and cultural options.
The high rate of repeat clients has its genesis in the certainty of the tourists who visit every day the Group’s hotels of living and taking back with them part of the history of Cuba and its people.
Gran Caribe Club Kawama
Gran Caribe Hotel Group: Exclusiveness and Good Taste
Plaza Las Morlas.
[email protected] www.melia-marinavaradero.com
one, two and up to three bed-rooms. Out of these apartments, 126 are already functioning, while another 222 will be added. Privi-leged for being referred to in the Condé Nast guide, The Level floor of the Meliá Marina offers exclu-sive facilities and unprecedented privacy.
The only hotel in Cuba certified with the E-Cristal Food Safety & Risk Management Standards, its attractions include direct access to the beach, baby club, meeting rooms, Internet, WiFi and a mod-ern Yhi Spa, with more than 40 treatments and hydrothermal cir-cuits. Recommended for nautical activities followers, events, fami-lies, weddings and honeymoons, its principal markets are Canada, nationals, Germany and the Unit-ed Kingdom; China and Venezuela have the largest growth.
Meanwhile, Plaza Las Mortals, designed for leisure, features a splendid sea excursion comprising several gastronomic, commercial, leisure and nautical options which complement the offers of the Ma-rina and the hotel.
The Tapas Bar, Jazz Café, La Is-abélica del Café; the specialized El Charro, El Gaucho and Kike-Kcho restaurants; a confectioner’s, the country’s largest bowling alley, music room, crafts gallery, a shop for yachts people, boutiques, mar-ket and international pharmacy deserve separate mentions.
With its gradual opening, in the near future Marina Gaviota Varadero will undoubtedly be the largest tourist port in the Caribbe-an and will have new attractive in-stallations for sea lovers.
beach in Cayo Blanco. It has an In-ternational Diving Center and its own fleet: 14 catamarans (seating up to 100), 10 yachts equipped for sports fishing and two for life on board. Its clients mainly hail from Canada, Russia, Argentina, Italy and France.
Under a Gaviota administration contract with the Spanish Meliá Hotels International chain, the Meliá Marina Varadero hotel and apartment complex –five stars and all-inclusive– is the natural ac-commodation for those enjoying the Marina.
Out of its 549 rooms, with charming views, 423 correspond to the hotel; the rest, to the apart-ment buildings –studios and of
After having concluded the work objects that ensure the tech-nical administrative infrastructure –ice factory, new docks and berths, bases for technical services and for naval repairs, maritime work-shops with diverse assistance ser-vices, warehouses for provisions–, 289 moorings are already oper-ating, all of which could be ready during the first semester of 2015.
The principal nautical center of the beautiful Varadero beach resort, the Marina offers dissimi-lar proposals like sea excursions, diving, fishing, life on board or the Crucero del Sol (Sun Cruise) –an excursion on a catamaran, snor-keling in coral barrier, swimming with dolphins and time out for the
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Meliá Marina Varadero is the natural
accommodation for those enjoying the Marina.
Located on a 3 km long coastal strip, just at the end of the Hi-cacos Peninsula, in Varadero,
Cuba, the Marina Gaviota Varade-ro operates as an integral tourist complex overlapping the exclu-sive Meliá Marina Varadero Hotel and picturesque Plaza Las Morlas.
Owned by the Gaviota Tourism Group S.A., the Marina is the set-ting for a large-scale investment for the expansion of its mooring capacities and facilities for inter-national yachting. This is a de-manding project due to its size and complexity which reaffirms it as Cuba’s principal tourist port and one of the most complete in the Caribbean.
Marina Gaviota Varadero is an important gateway to Cuba for those deciding on arriving by sea on their own vessels. This window to sailing tourism, whose chan-nel has 60 m in length and 4.5 m in depth, will have 1,080 moor-ing spaces for different size ves-sels with drafts of up to 4 m and lengths of between 6-25 m, and will be able to cater to 6-8 megay-achts.
Its multiple assistance of the highest level includes piloting, beaching, immigration, visa, har-bormaster, customs, health care and waste collection services; the supply of fuel, drinking water and electricity; ship chandler, mainte-nance and minor repairs (it has a modern travel lift with a lifting ca-pacity of up to 100 tons), hiring of specialized labor force –captains, sailors and qualified workers–, Wi-Fi, security in operations and shel-ter in the face of adverse meteoro-logical events.
Marina Gaviota Varadero is an integral tourist complex.
Marina Gaviota Varadero among Principal Caribbean Tourist Ports
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Travel Trade Caribbean • Year XV • No. 236 • March 2015feature
Santiago de Cuba, the country’s second most important city, this 2015 is celebrating the 500th Anniversary of its foundation, a very timely occasion to visit that marvelous Cuban city and to enjoy a de-lightful stay.
For a comfortable and agreeable stay you can enjoy the services of Las Américas Hotel, built in 1975 in a pleasant environment. Located in one of the most central areas of Santiago de Cuba, it is perfect for those seeking a feast of emotions, good offers and excellent service.
Its privileged location, just a few minutes away from important rec-reation centers, makes Las Américas an ideal accommodation option to rapidly penetrate the pace that marks this city of eastern Cuba.
It has 70 air-conditioned rooms, a meeting room inside the installa-tion, access to Internet, two specialized restaurants, a party room with Caribbean shows, two bars; in short, a wide range of facilities in addi-tion to a rooted culture of hospitality that will make you feel at home.
You will also be able to visit unique sites, like the Casa de la Tro-va, Céspedes Park and its surrounding areas, Enramada Street…or go on excursions outside the city, to the Historic Military Park of the Loma de San Juan, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre and the San Pedro de la Roca (Morro) Castle, a World Heritage Site.
The Perfect Destination in Las Américas Hotel
This 2015 marks the half mil-lennium of the Cuban town-ships of Santiago de Cuba
and Remedios.Santiago de Cuba, known as
the “most Caribbean” of the is-land’s cities, will renovate the tourist offer on the advent of its 500th anniversary based on the recovery of its historic and archi-tectural heritage, the reanimation of the city and the improvement of its image. Founded on July 25, 1515 by Diego Velázquez, it was the sixth Cuban township and the country’s first capital city.
The heritage areas, from the foundational ring to the city limits, have been given a marked priority in the preparatory program to cel-ebrate the half millennium.
The previewed investments in-clude the rehabilitation of the em-blematic Imperial Hotel, in the his-toric center, after some 30 years out of service, and the restoration of buildings representative of San-tiago’s eclecticism around Cés-pedes Park.
The Bahía-Carretera Turística Maritime Avenue is being revital-ized up to Morro Castle, and works are being executed to preserve the underwater heritage, where the wrecks remain of the ships that sank during the Naval Battle of the Cuban-Spanish-American War, which will be declared Na-tional Monuments in the context of the 500th anniversary.
There is also the project of
Los Caminos del Café (The Coffee Paths) route, which safeguards the ruins of the coffee plantations of the 18th-19th centuries; the con-struction of a hotel in the Marina Santiago de Cuba; and the cre-ation of a Leisure Center conceived for family tourism.
Meanwhile, San Juan de los Remedios, the eighth township founded by the Spanish coloniz-ers, will be celebrating its half mil-lennium next June.
Cradle of the world-famous Parrandas, popular fiestas that have become a rare cultural event, its classic accommodations are the Hoteles E Mascotte and Barcelona, with 10 and 24 rooms, respective-ly, operated by Cubanacán.
The program to celebrate the 500th anniversary includes new openings and the improvement of accommodations and recreation centers, among which the con-struction of the 25-room Hoteles E Camino del Príncipe and the eight-room Hoteles E Real deserve spe-cial mention.
Other actions for Remedios’ half millennium contribute to the improvement and renovation of the current tourist product. The program aims to develop the in-frastructure in the area by taking advantage of the added values offered by the San Juan de los Re-medios Heritage City, an ideal cul-tural tourism destination to com-bine the beach offer of the Cayos de Villa Clara tourist destination.
Two Cuban Townships reach their 500 Years in 2015: santiago de Cuba and remedios
san Juan de los remedios is the cradle of the world-famous Parrandas.
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Travel Trade Caribbean • Year XV • No. 236 • March 2015Cuba
the largest in the issuing of tour-ists from France to Cuba.
Located in the Meliá Península Hotel, the Club has several enter-tainment attractions: water parks, sports activities (beach volleyball, excursions on canoes, catamarans, golf and others), fitness center and dancing. In addition, there are nu-merous excursions to other near-by destinations.
The Meliá Hotels Internation-al chain and the Gaviota Tour-ism Group S.A. have also joined efforts with Transat Francia and the Cuban Ministry of Tourism for the opening of this opera-tion.
First French-speaking Club in Cuba
The Club is located in the Meliá Península Hotel, at Varadero.
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The Transat Francia group in-augurated the Club Lookea Península Varadero, the only
French-speaking kind of its type on the island.
The direct flights to support this operation from Paris to Va-radero will be guaranteed every week by the XL Airways airline company with 250 seats every Monday, from the end of De-cember 2014 until the end of May 2015.
With the opening of this Club in Varadero and an important pro-duction in stays, group and indi-vidual circuits, the Transat Francia group consolidates itself as one of
@gaviotatourscuba
GaviotaToursCuwww.gaviota-grupo.comgaviotatours@ gaviotatours.cu
Gaviota Tours invites you to cel-ebrate its 20 years of work with Cuba’s most awaited na-
ture photography events. Naturaleza Digital (Digital Nature) and Imasub are here again to fascinate photogra-phy professionals and amateurs, lov-ers of the island of Cuba’s indomita-ble beauty, and to once again surprise them with their flashes.
We are proposing an unforgettable experience with two programs of six days and five nights in the incompara-ble landscapes of the country’s west-ernmost and central regions. The price of the package includes all the collec-tive transfers, food, conventional ac-commodations in highly comfortable hotels and, for the more adventurous, camping options at night.
In the case of Naturaleza Digital, the tours through the paths of the na-ture parks are included and in that of Imasub, the immersions and diving gear.
Consult our packages for individu-al clients and for groups through our contacts:
[email protected]@gaviotatours.cuFor more information on the
events, search on our website and fol-low us on the social networks. ©
GAV
IOTA
S.A
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Gaviota Tours 2015EVENTS
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international Congress and Convention associationThe Dominican Republic is already a member of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), an entity representing on an international level the sector of specialists in the orga-nization and accommodation of events and meetings, with almost 1,000 mem-bers between companies and institutions in more than 90 countries.
Some of the benefits for the country with this membership are the inclusion of the destination in the Annual Directo-ry of Members, published and distribut-ed worldwide by the ICCA to more than 4,000 groups of professionals responsible for organizing international meetings and events.
According to statistics, the meetings, in-centives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism is a profitable sector, since the con-gress tourists generate up to seven times more spending than vacation visitors.
Dominican republic, best Caribbean Destination by Travel WeeklyFor the second time the Dominican Republic has received the title of Best Caribbean Tourist Destination in the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards, which commemorated their 12th edi-tion this January in New York (USA).
The awards are granted by readers of the magazine Travel Weekly who every year choose the leaders in 67 categories of products and ser-vices of the tourist industry like airlines, hotel chains, tour operators, rent-a-cars, cruises and destinations.
Cotubanamá national ParkThe National Congress of the Dominican Repub-lic designated with the name of Cotubanamá National Park the East National Park, the most visited protected area in the country, renamed for the amount of uncontaminated beaches on its island of Saona.
Cotubanamá was one of the most transcen-dental caciques (kings of the indigenous Tainos) in the Americas for having rebelled against the Spanish domination in defense of the right to life of his land’s inhabitants. He was captured by the Spaniards in 1504 on the island of Saona and then hanged. His kingdom, in the southeastern tip of the country, coincided territorially with the geographical zone of the current National Park.
This protected area was set up in 1975 and guards a great variety of natural ecosystems, to-gether with aquiferous areas and numerous caves full of Taino petroglyphs and pictograms.
growth of 12.39% (197,082 additional tourists). Canada, with 706,394 passengers, was the sec-ond market and registered a 3.26% increase.
South America grew 17.91% in 2014, contrib-uting 83,932 passengers more than in 2013. Bra-zil, with 114,129 tourists, became the first South American market in 2014, contributing 21,259 additional passengers. Venezuela grew 50.13%; Colombia, 30.55%; Chile, 10.67%; and Argenti-na, 4.83%.
16,582 additional tourists (+7.74%). In Europe (which as a whole has grown 4.87%), the Unit-ed Kingdom stands out for registering 126,563 visitors for a 16.93% increase (18,327 addition-al tourists). Spain (150,859 passengers), Italy (82,010) and Belgium (36,616), among others, also grew.
In 2014 the principal market for Domini-can tourism was the United States, which has contributed a total of 1,784,486 visitors, with a
The flow of foreign tourists to the Domin-ican Republic in 2014 registered a 9.48% growth with a total of almost 4.5 million ar-
rivals by air. That is to say, almost 400,000 more with respect to 2013. Among the first 20 tour-ist issuing markets to the Dominican Republic, 15 have noted a growth (with the exception of France, Russia, Peru, Holland and Switzerland).
Germany, the new European market lead-er, has contributed to this positive result with
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Travel Trade Caribbean • Year XV • No. 236 • March 2015Dominican Republic
Thanks to the constant steps being taken to expand the air connectivity of Quintana Roo, in 2014, for the second consecutive year, the Cancun Inter-national Airport broke its record of operations and users, which amounted to 17,455,353 national and international passengers moved at its entry and departure points, affirmed Governor Roberto Borge.
As a result of the negotiations carried out in tourist fairs, air routes were opened like that of Munich-Cancun, Hamburg-Cancun, five new flights from Manchester, Finland, Poland, Italy and Dublin to Cancun and Norway-Cancun. Air connectivity was also expanded with new national routes.
The United States, Canada, Colombia, Italy, Brazil, France, United King-dom, Russia, Germany, Spain and Argentina contribute the majority of the passengers.
Quintana roo, Mexico’s Major Tourist Power
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Quintana Roo changed to daylight time starting February 1, which is why it has one more hour of natural light in favor of tourists’ experience, since it makes it possible to extend the schedules for visits to archaeological centers and its beautiful natural spots and the days of activities for adventure tourism.
The Secretariat of Tourism (Sectur) announced in a communiqué that in addition to the considerable saving of electricity and the positive impact on commercial activities, its most important implications include the ben-efits it represents for tourism.
The new time favors a greater competitiveness with regards to other Caribbean destinations. It will represent a better air connectivity and, con-sequently, greater tourist flows; the state reduces the time of interconnec-tion with eight airports in Canada and 22 in the United States, two of the most important issuing markets for the country.
Quintana roo Changes to Daylight Time
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Travel Trade Caribbean • Year XV • No. 236 • March 2015Mexican Caribbean
When it started its operations in November 1957 it was one of the largest hotel/casinos and very soon became an icon of the cap-ital. Its guests included illustrious figures and Hollywood stars, and it was frequented by the U.S. ma-fia until 1959, to the point that it was alluded to in the famous film The Godfather, based on the novel by the same name of Mario Puzo.
By managing this hotel, proper-ty of the Gran Caribe Hotel Group, the NH Hotel Group is increasing its portfolio in Latin America, a strategic market for the company, and consol-idating its commitment to a quality offer in top-level destinations.
swimming pool on the last floor with a spectacular panoramic view of the city, gym, meeting room for 40 persons and Internet/WiFi in its Business Center, rooms and public areas. Specifically the exclusive services in the four ex-ecutive floors, as well as the direct access of one of them to the swim-ming pool, turn it into the only ho-tel on the island with these char-acteristics.
businesspeople, incentive groups, leisure stays and honeymoons.
Exquisitely elegant and sim-ple, the NH Capri, one of Hava-na’s most important hotels from the architectural point of view, is located in a 19-floor building and has 220 spacious and bright rooms with AC –192 standard, six superi-ors, 10 duplex, 10 junior suites and two suites– with satellite TV, tele-phone with international outlets, minibar, safety-deposit box, hair-dryer and hydrotherapy massage in the suites.
Its facilities include three restaurants, a snack bar, two bars, round-the-clock room service, a
After more than a year of op-erations since its reopening in December 2013, the em-
blematic NH Capri Hotel, a classic among Havana hotels, has won over the preference of the clients who visit it. Totally rebuilt and ren-ovated according to contempo-rary tendencies, it combines its charm and style of the 1950s with the comfort and modernity of the 21st century.
Located in the most central ar-ea of Vedado, a few meters from the Malecón seaside drive and on-ly 10 minutes away from Old Hava-na, this welcoming, comfortable and functional hotel is ideal for
nH Capri Hotel, an all-Time Classic
ments by Nicaraguan Vice Presi-dent Omar Hallesleven, who said that the interoceanic canal will move 5% of world trade and will double the Gross Domestic Prod-uct Nicaragua has had in recent years.
big business in the Central Amer-ican nation.
In Portugal, the daily Journal Sol affirms that it will be the work with the largest infrastructure and will compete with the Pan-ama Canal. The item cites state-
He highlighted that the proj-ect being executed by the Chi-nese company HKND Group en-visages the building of two deep water ports for large draft ships, a duty free zone and a tourist zone, which would create a region for
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The construction of the Grand In-teroceanic Canal in Nicaragua is increasingly becoming a current subject in many countries due to the repercussions it will have on international trade, the media re-ferred to by La Voz del Sandinismo highlighted.
This interoceanic canal that joins the Atlantic with the Pacific will give a safe passageway for the predominance in world trade, and will be another option in addition to the Panama Canal, which will have the capacity for the trans-portation of merchandise on large container ships.
Meanwhile, the U.S. San Diego Daily recently published an anal-ysis by Alex Márquez, researcher and talent promoter, in which he said that it is a fact that the Nica-ragua Interoceanic Canal, which will be three times longer than the Panama Canal, is being built at a cost of 50 billion dollars.
nicaragua’s Grand Canal Captures World attention
Travel Trade Caribbean • Year XV • No. 236 • March 2015news
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Mr. rafael Torres, president Casa de
Campo resort.
Casa de Campo was recognized as Best Resort and Best Spa Resort of the Dominican Republic in the World Travel Awards 2014. More-over, in those awards it also won three prizes: Best Course and Best Golf Course and Best Hotel for Golf Players of the Dominican Republic.
Meanwhile, more than 500 golf specialists from 62 countries, based on elements like client sat-isfaction, quality of golf courses, accommodations and value for money, granted it the Golf Re-sort of the Year 2014 award in the 15th edition of the recognitions awarded by the International As-sociation of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO).
The Casa de Campo Caribbean destination will be the venue of the second edition of the Latin Amer-ican Amateur Championship in 2016, a new amateur tournament created by the most important golf entities, like the Masters Tour-nament, the R&A and the USGA, which will grant the champion a ticket to the Masters. In addition, the winner of the LAAC will be able to participate in the final classifi-cation stage of the British Open Championship and the U.S. Open.
“Casa de Campo offers all this, which is why, when seeking a re-sort that offers all the mentioned luxury possibilities, a similar one is probably not found in the Ca-ribbean and, even more, than any other on the planet can offer,” af-firmed Rafael Torres.
can cite penetrating those mar-kets in which it is not very estab-lished, like the European, especial-ly the United Kingdom; the Latin American, where there is also a niche mainly during the summer season.”
Meanwhile, the resort conceives among its objectives for 2015 growing in the deluxe incentive tourism, MICE, and bringing more groups of this modality, placing emphasis on the United States, for which it is working with the princi-pal associations in order to gain a leadership position in the Domini-can Republic.
It has also strengthened the fa-cilities for events with an offer of two vanguard structures –El Caci-que and the Flamboyan Conven-tion Center–, halls, interior spaces and open-air terraces. All the halls have access to cutting-edge tech-nology, high-speed WiFi and spe-cialized personnel.
The resort has a world-class marina with more than 350 berths; a shooting range, three polo fields, a sport which has a signif-icant market niche; fitness cen-ter and Spa. In addition to this it features the Altos de Chavón, the Pueblo de los Artistas (Artists’ Town), built with stones, with mu-seums, art galleries, boutiques, a chapel and an amphitheater seat-ing 5,500 persons, ideal for events, especially for concerts; 13 tennis courts, a very beautiful beach and the exclusive Isla de Catalina.
La Romana International Air-port is located just five minutes away from Casa de Campo and is part of the property –another of the resort’s singularities. Flights arrive every day and the Santo Domingo and Punta Cana inter-national airports are less than an hour away.
In terms of the future, accord-ing to its President, “Casa de Cam-po as such has many facilities, but our aim is to develop it so we can obtain the best results in the project itself and in its expansion, nationally as well as internation-ally. Among the potentials we
This is how, as a unique brand, Casa de Campo is defined by Mr. Rafael Torres, who, after
more than 20 years of experience in the hotel business, was recent-ly appointed as its new President.
With a surface area of 7,000 acres, the Casa de Campo resort offers a matchless variety of Carib-bean experiences. In an interview with TTC, Torres said that “it is iden-tified for having many business units in the complex… it has been considered one of the leaders in the luxury market, particularly in the Caribbean and I would say that also in the world, in terms of golf and with respect to standards, es-pecially with the real estate devel-opment of the almost 2,000 very exclusive and deluxe villas and the 270-room hotel, these being com-plements that allow us to reach different segments.”
Specialized in golf, Casa de Campo has a team with a high professional level that carries out the activity, and in the end makes the difference in this product. It has four golf courses –which add up to 90 holes– designed by re-nowned Pete Dye, all of excep-tional quality: Teeth of the Dog, which since its construction (1971) has been considered as the num-ber one green of Latin America and among the best in the world; Dye Fore, located in the zone of Altos de Chavón; The Links and La Romana Country Club, a select membership club.
Casa de Campo, a unique brand
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Travel Trade Caribbean • Year XV • No. 236 • March 2015Dominican Republic
▶ To maintain systematic cover-age on Cuba’s participation in Expo Milan 2015 (May 1 to Oc-tober 31).
▶ To release, in the framework of FITCuba 2015, the fourth edi-tion of the Caribbean Opera-tors Book, COB Cuba Monograph 2015-2016, in Italian, English and Spanish.
▶ To start up during FITCuba 2015 the program of activities for the 20th Anniversary of TCC, co-inciding with the holding of FITCuba 2016.
TTC Travel Trade Caribbean, the on-ly Italian media specializing in tourism accredited in Cu-
ba, has programed a group of actions to pro-mote Italy’s designation as guest of honor country to the 35th International Tourism Fair FITCuba 2015, to be held May 5-7:
▶ To disclose in all the printed editions up to the issue for FITCuba 2015, as well as in the TTC News digital bulle-tins –in Italian, English and Spanish– and through TTC’s website, the work of Italian entities present in Cuba and somehow linked to the tourist sector.
TTC Gets ready for FiTCuba 2015,
with italy as Guest Country
▶ TTC GETS READY FOR FITCubA 2015
The second part strictly speaking consists of the directory which lists around 1,000 referenc-es of places of interest basically for tourism pro-fessionals (organized by provinces), with their addresses, telephone numbers, email address-es and websites (if they have them). It is struc-tured in the following chapters: Banks, Enti-ties, Foreign hotel companies, Hotels, Airports, Cruise Terminals, Air cargo terminals, Airlines, Land transportation, Marinas, Real estate agen-cies, International diving centers, Convention centers, Specialized assistance centers, Travel agencies and Tour operators, Infotur and Pri-vate services.
The COB Cuba Monograph will be distrib-uted by courtesy during FITCuba 2015 and in the world tourism fairs where TTC partic-ipates, as well as during other sector-related meetings.
TTC Travel Trade Caribbean will release the fourth edition of the Caribbean Operators Book (COB) Cuba Monograph during the FITCuba 2015 International Tourism Fair, to be held May 5-7 in Cayo Coco, Jardines del Rey.
The COB Cuba Monograph is basically divided into two parts: a Mini guide of Cuba in Spanish, Ital-ian and English and a strictly speaking directory.
The Mini guide begins with General Infor-mation about Cuba, featuring: geographical, demographic and social data according to re-cent official statistics; political-administrative divisions, national symbols, places declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, the first Cuban townships and biosphere reserves.
Following this there is a description of the principal tourist destinations, organized by the three geographical regions –western, central and eastern– and by provinces.
TTC to release Cob Cuba Monograph at FiTCuba 2015
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