TORONTO— Canada is Cuba’s most important market, so it’s key for this industry to stay up to date on the latest news and developments.
With that in mind, Gaviota Group, Cuba’s largest hotel group, held a press conference yesterday at the Cuba Tourist Board’s office on Bay Street in Toronto.
Gaviota Group has been hard at work doing many renovations and upgrades on its properties throughout Cuba, primarily in Havana, Varadero, Cayo Santa Maria and Holguin.
The Cuban group is working with foreign companies to improve product and service at its hotels across the island, with negotiations in progress to bring even more investors into the mix. Gaviota Group is working with 16 foreign hotel chains. This means that 80% of rooms in Gaviota hotels are being managed by foreign hotel companies.
Gaviota’s main goal is to develop new products at its properties, specifically for its brand ‘Playa.’ It will be implementing new modules for families with kids, with special rooms geared for them, plus premium levels.
First up will be Playa Cayo Santa Maria. This is something that was needed, as Cuba has been experiencing an increase in requests for accommodations for large families.
To attract the younger market, Gaviota is working together with Blue Diamond Hotels by offering specialty music festivals and opening a new hotel brand called ‘Resonance,’ which will have music and entertainment for the younger generation in one section, and relaxation and wellness in the other.
The group is open for investments and is interested in making the tourist plazas near the all-inclusive hotels an attraction for travellers visiting the island. Specifically, each plaza will have its own theme and attraction to welcome tourists visiting these venues.
New hotel openings will be primarily in Havana and Holguin. By the end of this year, the Kempinski-managed Metropolis will open in Havana. With 219 rooms, it will be the second Kempinski property in the city, following Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana.
Before the end of this year, the second section at Muthu Havana will also open. With 515 rooms, the new section will be called Muthu Tower.
The Hotel Corona in Havana, administered by Turkish hotel chain ATG, is expected to open the beginning of next year. It will be a five-star property with 147 rooms.
The 594-room Iberostar will open in the tallest building in Havana on Nov. 20, four days after the city’s 505th anniversary.
At Aduana del Puerto, for the start of next year, a new hotel called Real Aduana is coming in the new cruise port, at the site where Cuban customs used to be in the old port.
And in Holguin, a yet-to-be-named hotel at Ramon de Antillas is expected to open by the end of next year.
To improve customer service and offerings, Gaviota is planning to open training schools all over Cuba to train its employees with the best teachers on the island.
CUBA TOURIST BOARD UPDATE
The news from the Cuba Tourist Board is that starting Aug. 1, it will be possible to pay for everything in Cuba with Canadian currency, or with debit and credit cards from Canadian banks.
Year to date, Cuba has received 600,000 visitors from Canada, and one million worldwide visitors overall. The goal for the year is one million Canadian visitors.
For more, visit Gaviota-Grupo.com and GoCuba.ca.
