TORONTO — Cuba is more excited than ever for a strong winter season – and travel advisors and travellers should be too.

At last night’s Cuba UNICA event at Toronto’s Hotel X, tour operators, travel retailers and media – more than 160 attendees all told – heard all about the Caribbean destination’s new hotels, new attractions and more.

They also heard that after a challenging summer, Cuba is ready for winter sun vacations.

Hola Sun was front and centre at the Cuba event

Lessner Gomez, director of the Cuba Tourist Board, thanked the travel advisor community and travel partners for their support and hard work, emphasizing that after a difficult summer, the country is moving forward.

Cuba’s charms remain as attractive as ever, he added. “Canadians are drawn by Cuba’s pristine beaches and friendly people.”

VISITOR NUMBERS, HURRICANES & LIFT

Over the course of the 2024-2025 winter season Cuba will receive more than 4,000 flights from 21 Canadian gateways, to top destinations including Varadero, Jardines del Rey, Santa Clara, Cienfuegos, Holguin, Manzanillo and Cayo Largo.

New this winter, Sunwing will operate a new flight into Camaguey, serving the hotels in Santa Lucia area, known for its outstanding beaches and scuba diving.

Lessner noted that up until October, visitor numbers to Cuba from the Canadian market were on par with 2023. Those numbers had dipped just slightly as of Nov. 12, at 97% compared to 2023, with a slight decrease as a result of the hurricanes that went through the country.

He added that dealing with hurricanes is part of living in the Caribbean, and Cuba has in place protocols that have been proven efficient and effective again and again. “All travellers in the affected areas were protected and all services were guaranteed, all the airports were open and operational, except the ones in the western part of Cuba that were in the path of hurricane Rafael, which closed for 24 hours as a precaution (Cayo Largo, Havana, Varadero and Santa Clara). Once the hurricane passed, they returned to normalcy.”

The glitch in the national electric system as a result of the hurricane was solved immediately “and today 100% of the tourist facilities have electrical services connected to the National System.”

NEW HOTELS & RESORTS

Cuba’s most recent hotel openings include …

CAYO CRUZ

Sanctuary White Sands, a groundbreaking addition to the Blue Diamond’s all-inclusive, adults-only portfolio. This hotel is the first standalone Sanctuary Resort to emerge in Cayo Cruz.

Francisco Gamez with Blau Hotels

CAYO SANTA MARIA

Resonance Musique Cayo Santa Maria marks the debut of Resonance Hotels, and the first of eight Resonance Hotels. The property is scheduled to open on Dec. 1. The new Resonance hotels are located across Varadero, Cayo Santa Maria, Santa Lucia and Marea del Portillo. Each destination will feature two unique adults-only experiences: a Resonance Blu and a Resonance Musique hotel (Resonance Blu is more tranquil, while Resonance Musique is high-energy).

VARADERO

Gran Aston Varadero Hotel

HOLGUIN

Sierra Cristal Hotel, next to the Grand Memories Holguin (Ramon de Antillas area) and Grand Muthu Ensenada, a brand new five-star hotel scheduled to open in January 2025 with 482 rooms, located next to the Sol Playa Turquesa.

HAVANA

The sophisticated and modern Iberostar Selection La Habana, scheduled to open by the end of this year, will be the tallest building in Havana with 42 floors. Corona Hotel, also scheduled to open by the end of this year, is located in Old Havana, next to the cruise terminal. There’s also a new addition to the Gran Muthu Habana, with the opening of a second tower. Located in Miramar area, the property is ideal for meetings and corporate travelers.

This winter there will also be more and new car rentals, as well as new buses, catamarans and Jeeps for excursions. Catamaran tours will have Internet service, and all of Cuba’s airports have Internet access as well.

Tourism has long been one of Cuba’s priorities, and Lessner stressed that the main focus remains “delivering better services and guaranteeing uninterrupted supplies.”

Cuba’s top events and festivals include the Havana Jazz Festival, Santiago de Cuba Fire Festival, the Havana Cigar Festival, Cayo Santa Maria Music Festival and Destinos Gaviota. Meanwhile the Cuba International Tourism fair (FITCUBA), open to all of the Canadian travel trade, will be held next year in Havana.

Lessner said the Cuba Tourist Board will continue to support travel advisors with more FAM trips, plus the Cuba travel specialist program is up and running.