Southern Cone Tourism to Cuba on the Rise

Southern Cone Tourism to Cuba on the Rise Buenos Aires, Aug 31.-  The number of tourists from the Southern Cone who visit Cuba grew 27.74 percent in the first eight months of this year against the same period of 2011, as revealed by sources from the sector.

Until August 26, at least 123,701 visitors from countries in the Southern Cone had visited different tourist areas in Cuba, according to Head of Cuba’s Tourist Information and Promotion Office for the Southern Cone, Luis Felipe Aguilera.

The figure represents an increase of nearly 28 percent when compared to same period of 2011.

Aguilera said that the number of foreign tourists in general visiting Cuba grew 5.2 percent in the period, as compared to 2011.

The strong growth in South American tourists is led by Argentina and Peru, with volumes growing by over 30 percent against similar period of 2011.

At least 73,841 Argentinians visited Cuba until August 26 this year (+37.2 percent) and some 13,093 Peruvians did so (+33.4 percent), he said.

In the case of Chile the year-on-year growth was 8.7 percent with 19,506 tourists visiting Cuba; Brazil (10,634 tourists and a growth of 12.8 percent); Uruguay (6,132 visitors and 12.6 percent) and Paraguay (some 500 tourists and 27.3 percent).

In the past five years, the Southern Cone, mainly the Argentinian market, has registered a dramatic increase in the number of tourists visiting Cuban destinations, from 37,922 travellers in 2007 to nearly 76,000 last year. (Radio Cadena Agramonte)