Freedom and rest island.
Freedom and rest island.
At first sight, the antiimperialistic festival has no
Relations to fashionable and expensive hotels, sandy beaches and coral reeves. But
If it passes on Cuba, as now, any reportings from meetings,
Processions and demonstrations inevitably get off on the story about reviving on
Island of freedom of the industry of tourism and entertainments.
About ten years ago the foreigner felt on Cuba extremely uncomfortably.
Resort Varadero was hardly probable not a unique place where it suffered. In
The Havana hotels, except for one or two, on the foreign tourist
Looked so as if solved, to call police at once or all the same a little
To wait.
In streets contact to foreigners was entered only by the most courageous or
Reckless because the mode strictly forbade dialogue even with that scanty
Number of the western tourists which came to Cuba. Tourists from
The capitalist countries, wishing to visit freedom Island, did not drive, but also
Not especially invited.
All has changed in the early nineties. Before Fidel Castro there was a hard
Choice: or to believe that the begun faults with Soviet financial and
The economic help to Cuba - a temporary phenomenon and to change nothing or
To give up hope of Moscow and to start at own risk search
Alternative sources of currency.
The Cuban leader has chosen the second. And in the country stahanovskimi rates of the beginning
To revive the industry of tourism and entertainments. Now, after the lapse of seven
Years, to Fidel to eat than be proud. It managed to restore almost all, that
Collapsed it within the last thirty years. Spanish, French
And the Canadian companies involved in the country with privileges and full absence
Competition from American hotel and travel companies
(It is forbidden to American citizens to visit Cuba, and to the American companies
-- To have business relations with Havana), have got down to business having rolled up sleeves.
Island or, at least, those its parts which can get on eyes
To tourists, get worthy appearance.
"Cubans had the certain fears connected by that
The western companies will be frightened of the sanctions entered by the USA against those who does
Here business, - Herbert Lints, the owner of one of the British tells
The tourist agencies working on Cuba, - but they have appeared groundless ".
Despite introduction of sanctions, the majority of the foreign companies remains.
Besides, similar, Cubans and have learnt to operate not bad
Tourist business.
"Our country is visited annually about one million by person in a year", -
It is proud the high-ranking employee of the Cuban has declared in conversation with
The tourism ministries. Last year tourist business has brought to Cuba $400
Million - against $200 million in 1989. And according to Price Waterhouse, to 2000
To year at preservation of the American sanctions incomes of Cuba of tourism will make
About $2,5 billion If them will cancel, and it is more than that - all $4 billion
In general, the problem of sanctions not especially disturbs the Cuban authorities. Where
The big headache the tourism ministry call so-called
Cheap tourists. It first of all Englishmen and east Germans,
Making overwhelming majority of tourists in 70-80 years and got used to
To minimum of comfort and minimum of expenses. They prefer to lodge in "the private
Sector "where for $20 a day receive both a shelter and a full board, and ignore
Magnificent five-stars hotels, smart beaches and services of the known
The tourist companies.
"In Britain there was an image of Cuba as places where it is possible cheaply and
It is beautiful to have a rest. To change the relation of clients to us it is very difficult ", -
Confirms Linz.
Therefore to Englishmen and Germans on Cuba prefer the Italians who are considered
The most generous and rich clients. They can buy round by the price
In some thousand dollars to stop in expensive hotels and to have dinner in
Restaurants. According to the Havana tour operators, about third of all
The foreigners visiting Cuba, - Italians.
But the greatest hopes are assigned all the same to Americans. Exact
Data about that, how much they happen on Cuba, no. After all it is forbidden to Americans
To happen on island without valid excuse, and rest in number of those not
Enters. However, according to one of travel agencies in Nassau
(Bahamas), on Cuba last year has visited not less than hundred thousand
The American tourists. "They are involved first of all with those, what is it
Illegally ", - the representative of agency speaks. And it is simultaneously absolute
nenakazuemo. Hospitable Cubans do not put entry visas in the American
Passports and to prove, that Mr. John Smith from New York has visited on Cuba,
It is practically impossible. While Americans are involved only with a forbidenness of a fruit,
But, having visited on Cuba, they should notice, that rest on Island
Freedom are not worse at all than holiday on the same Bahamas and even little bit more cheaply. And
Will arrive again.
Acknowledgement to that tourism becomes a basis of all Cuban life,
Strangely enough, there were recent explosions at three largest hotels Cuban
Capitals. "Earlier to anybody and in a head would not come to blow up hotel, -
The employee of one of the suffered hotels confirms. - there was nobody to frighten.
Now - other business ".
NIKOLAY PETROV.
//* an information Source: the Businessman (weekly journal), 19.08.97
//* Reg. Nom. - 6070800141.19-------------------------------------------
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