Tourism: Cuba resumes industry activities in a safe and gradual way

Cuba resumed last July its tourist operations for foreign visitors at the Jardines del Rey Keys — northern keys of central Cuba — first, and then Varadero resort weeks later, in a well-thought-out strategy to reach a greater coordination and cooperation between our government and service providers, travel, accommodation, aimed at boosting this sector, one of the hardest hit sectors by this new coronavirus worldwide.

Upon arrival at the airport, every traveler goes under epidemiological surveillance, which begins with a Health Declaration Form if any passenger or member of the crew develop symptoms of the disease. Later, at the airport lounge, they are assessed by a technician who checks their body temperature with a body scanner. In addition, the health personnel monitor the health condition of each of them.

So far, no workers fulfilling this mission have been reported with SARS-Cov-2-like symptoms. According to the MINTUR (Cuba’s Ministry of Tourism) Human Resource Director, the result corresponds to the control and efficiency of hygienic-sanitary protocols demanded in every hotel and other service-providing facilities.

All hotel facilities intended for foreign visitors have been certified with the certificate Turismo más Higiénico y Seguro (For a more Hygienic and Healthy Tourism), among the general measures to fight back possible Covid-19 chains of transmission, some of them stand out and they are: people’s self-distancing and surface cleaning, among others. In accommodations, a doctor, a nurse, and an epidemiologist work 24 hours.

Russia, which topped the list of countries with greatest number of visitors to Cuba in 2019, resumed post-Covid19 operations in Jardines del Rey with the Russian tour operators Pegas Touristick, Coral Travel, and Anex through the airlines Nordwind, Royal Flights and Aigle Azur, while Air Canada Vacations does the same with direct flights from Toronto and Montreal, trusting the same destination of sun and beach.

Not long ago, German tour operators, travel agents, specialists and some industry executives met in Matanzas with MINTUR executives and other officials to assess the tourist recovery in Cuba, the hygienic-sanitary measures implemented and hence the resuming of flight operations from the European continent after months of suspension.

Likewise, Havana, capita city of Cuba, expects to resume its diverse and attractive tourist activities soon. According to official sources, the José Martí International Airport will resume operation next November 10^th, certainly a very good news for workers related to these activities, paused since early 2020.

Cuba, safe destination, continues to work to boost its tourism industry despite this new coronavirus. As stated by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, “it is paramount to rebuild the tourism industry” so that “we can ascertain that tourism takes back its position as a decent provider of employment, stable incomes, and may guarantee the protection of our cultural and natural heritage.”

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff