International Tourism Publication founded in 1996 Year XII • Issue 209 • March 2012 • Regular Edition • www.traveltradecaribbean.com • ISSN 1724 - 5370 Poste italiane Spa - Sped. in Abb. Post. D.L. 353/2003 Conv. in L. 27/02/2004, no. 46 Art. 1 comma 1, DCB Milano - Prezzo per copia EURO 0,25
Tourism Sector: The Largest Contributor to the Economy of Antigua & Barbuda Interview with Mr. P. Hilary Modeste, Director of Tourism –UK & Europe, Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority.
FOTOSUB 2012 International Underwater Photography Contest 9
Germany Again 6 Fifth Issuing New Air Connections Market to Cuba in the Caribbean 8 Tourist Growth in Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo
International Tourism to Reach One Billion in 2012 THE WORLD Tourism Organization said tourist arrivals grew by over 4% in 2011 to 980 million, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. With growth expected to continue in 2012, at a somewhat slower rate, international tourist arrivals are on track to reach the milestone one billion mark later this year. 8
Neckermann Awards Prizes to Four Cuban Hotels
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Dominican Republic Hotel Occupancy Rates Increase
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GERMANY has become stabilized as Cuba’s fifth tourist market since 2004, a position in which it closed 2011 for the eighth year in a row. In 2011 it was preceded, in that order, by Canada, UK, Italy and Spain. Last year, 95,124 Germans visited Cuba, representing 3.5% of the total of arrivals and 2.1% more than in 2010, thus reversing the contraction of the German emission to the island manifest since 2003, when 157,721 Germans arrived. Even so, Cuba welcomed more than a million German travelers from 2003 to 2011. 2
Bermuda: Tourism Destination of the Year BERMUDA won the 2011 Top Destination of the Year Award at Expedia's marketing awards, being held in conjunction with the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) Council of Ministers. 2
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TRAVEL TRADE CARIBBEAN • YEAR XII • ISSUE 209 • MARCH 2012
Bermuda: Tourism Destination of the Year
Canadian Travelers Prefer Meliá Cuba Hotels Address Via Galileo Galilei, 47 20092 Cinisello Balsamo, Mi Tel. 02 36649575 Fax 02 36649576 E-mail italia@traveltradecaribbean.com commerciale.it@gmail.com Web www.traveltradecaribbean.com
T THE AWARD was received by the Tourism Minister Wayne Furbert from Trish Korzeniowski, Market Manager of Expedia. Tourism Minister Wayne Furbert accepted the award from Expedia market manager Trish Korzeniowski, who praised Bermuda’s overseas market presence, consistent branding, and “try something new attitude”. ■
he Paradisus Río de Oro, Meliá Cayo Coco and Sol Pelícano hotels all won Monarc 2011 prizes, awarded according to the opinions of Canadian travelers. Canada is the principal tourist market for the Cuba destination and the hotels managed by Meliá Hotels International in the largest archipelago of the Caribbean are this market’s favorite accommodations. Last year, 1,002,318 Canadians chose Cuba as their travel destination. This is the third consecutive award won by Paradisus Río de Oro, which recently won the 2011 Prize, awarded by Thomas CookNeckermann, and the Travellers’ Choice 2012 of TripAdvisor. This
deluxe five-star resort is one of the best accommodations in the Caribbean on Monarc.ca. Meanwhile, Meliá Cayo Coco was voted the best hotel in Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo, and Sol Pelícano came out as the best valued resort in Cayo Largo del Sur. Monarc groups together more than 80% of the Canadian online agencies, and only the tourists who have bought a tourist package in one of them can reflect their comments in that travel forum. Its general director, Fabrice Bozon, affirmed that those prizes reflect the consumer habits of Canadian travelers and distinguish the winning hotels in that country’s tourist market. ■
Honorary President Renzo DRUETTO Principal Director Giuseppe FERRARIS Director Alfredo RODRÍGUEZ director@traveltradecaribbean.com Marketing Director Jesús RODRÍGUEZ jrd@traveltradecaribbean.com Editorial Staff for Italy Tiziana SETTANNI redazione.italia@traveltradecaribbean.com ttc.italia@gmail.com Tel.: +39 02 36649724 Fax: +39 02 36649724 Editorial Staff for Cuba Josefina PICHARDO
Germany Again Fifth Issuing Market to Cuba
IN 2011, German travelers’ preference for Cuba was ratified between November and April, an elliptical tendency being strengthened in recent years. In March and No-
vember there were two emission peaks, equivalent to almost 25% of those who traveled during the year, based on figures of the National Office of Statistics. ■
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TRAVEL TRADE CARIBBEAN • YEAR XII • ISSUE 209 • MARCH 2012
Tourism Sector: The Largest Contributor to the Economy of Antigua & Barbuda Mr. Hilary Modeste, What importance does the tourist sector have for the country’s economy? The tourism sector is the largest contributor to the economy of Antigua & Barbuda. It is estimated that it contributes 30% of GDP and 1 out of every 3 jobs is directly or indirectly generated by the sector. Which are the principal local tourist characteristics and destinations? Antigua and Barbuda are blessed with year round sunshine and 365 of the Caribbean’s best and sandiest beaches. Antigua is known for its rich naval history, and hosts a fantastic sailing regatta every April known as The Antigua Sailing Week. The Antigua Sailing Week holds the premier spot on the Caribbean’s Yachting Calendar of Events, and is held in the historic Nelson’s Dockyard, which is named after British Naval hero, Admiral Horatio Nelson. Antigua’s sister island, Barbuda, is one of the Caribbean’s undiscovered gems, and truly reflects the Caribbean as you would imagine it to be. In addition to its 17 mile stretch of pink sand beach, bird-lovers will be surprised to learn that the largest Frigate Bird Sanctuary in the western hemisphere can be found in Barbuda. Antiguans and Barbudans love to party, and from July-August Antigua Carnival Celebrations are in full swing, giving visitors to the destination the opportunity to witness revelers parading the street in colorful costumes and dancing to Caribbean beats meted out on steelpans. How has the flow of tourists behaved as compared to 2010? Tourism arrivals for 2011 are estimated to grow by 5%.
TTC On Line
Interview with Mr. P. Hilary Modeste, Director of Tourism UK & Europe, Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority. Which are the principal issuing markets, as well as the new emerging markets? The US is the largest single source market for the island’s tourism with the UK being the second. Other key markets are Italy, Germany, Canada, and the rest of the Caribbean. Which are the air connections that carry the largest amount of visitors? Our main gateways are London, New York, Toronto, Milan and Frankfurt. Could you mention the principal tour operators that market the destination? In the case of Italy, we do a lot of business with Press Tours. Within the UK we work with a wide range of tour operators including, Virgin Holidays, British Airways Holidays, Thomas Cook, Thomson Holidays and a lot of other tour operators who sell Antigua. Does cruise tourism operate?
AS A NOVELTY, printed editions of TTC will be available on line. People who read our news from our webpage and weekly e-bulletin will have free access to all the information and ads directly from their PC, just click on the access instructions and you will be able to navigate through our pages. This is a new service that easily approaches more readers to TTC’s
Antigua’s cruise sector is very much alive and booming. Cruise visitors contribute the largest numbers to Antigua and Barbuda’s overall tourism arrivals figures on an annual basis. The majority of our cruise visitors arrive in the heart of the city, where upon disembarking they are immediately within two excellent shopping centres: the modern Heritage Quay which provides duty free shopping or the historic Redcliffe Quay, where boutique lovers will find one-of-a-kind items to remind them of their Antigua holiday. New products and new investments under way... We have new developments such as the new airport terminal due to open in 2013, that will house several VIP lounges, and the development of Antigua’s newest luxury resort, Tamarind Hills, due to open towards the end of 2012, both making Antigua and Barbuda an even stronger contender as one of the Caribbean destinations of choice. How is the country seen in the context of Caribbean integration? We are a member of CARICOM –the economic integration regime that embraces all the English-speaking nations of the Caribbean, and Antigua is also a member of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States which is a monetary union that facilitates the sharing of a common currency. Any other aspect you would like to comment on for the readers of TTC. Antigua & Barbuda provides the best value for money to the visitor –and offers a great range of accommodations, from the very high end 5 star hotels to good, affordable 3 & 4 star properties to meet the needs of the budget traveler, as well as a number of small boutique hotels, villas and guesthouses that give the visitor a selection of accommodation choices. ■
printed versions, dedicated to the direct distribution to the sector’s professionals at the world’s most important tourism fairs. In 2012 each edition of TTC will come out in Italian, Spanish and English, so the readers for whom we write our information will have the possibility of reading it in their preferred language. Thus we are increasing our potential readers
to close to 50,000 contacts, with weekly repletion, throughout the world. Never before has news from the Caribbean been so close to readers. Navigate through our pages and get updates on the most recent Caribbean product and the issuing markets to the area. Cordial greetings, TTC writing staff
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TRAVEL TRADE CARIBBEAN • YEAR XII • ISSUE 209 • MARCH 2012
Tourist Growth in Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo
■ Eng. Luis Báez
Commercial and communication specialist. Ministry of Tourism delegation in Ciego de Avila province
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ayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo are located in the Jardines del Rey tourist destination, to the north of Ciego de Avila, 450 km east of Havana and four nautical miles away from one of the world’s most important nautical corridors, the Old Bahamas Channel. Baptized by Diego Velásquez in 1514 with the name of Jardines del Rey in honor of Ferdinand the Catholic, King of Spain, they were the scenario for Islands in the Stream, an important novel by U.S. writer Ernest Hemingway, where he describes the place as a “green and promising” site. The development of these keys began in the late 1980s when the basic infrastructures for tourist operations were built. Since the start of tourist operations in 1993 they have welcomed more than 2.5 million visitors. With an average annual increase of 9%, arrivals have multiplied by 28. Canada is the principal market, with more than 50% of the average annual overnight stays, coming from Montreal, Toronto, Quebec, Halifax, Ottawa and Hamilton, among others. Out of the Canadians who visit Cuba, more than 17% choose Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo. Another market with important tourist flows is the United Kingdom. Out of the Britons who visit Cuba, 15% go to this destination and they represent more than 17%, as an annual average, in overnight stays. Argentina is the third market, with an annual growth of 15% in arrivals on direct flights from Buenos Aires and its emission volume represents 22% of this country’s market quota. Traditional markets like Germany, Italy, Spain and France, which do not have direct connections, use the combination modality and arrive through domestic flights using the Aerocaribbean and Aerogaviota airlines that link Havana and Cayo Coco, means that can also be used for excursions to other destinations in the country and the Caribbean. The growth of the tourist flows in Jardines del Rey has been associated to the growth of its modern hotel plant, which today comprises 12 hotels –all of them four and five stars and located by the seaside– and
more than 4,000 rooms. Cayo Coco has eight hotels (more than 2,500 rooms) and Cayo Guillermo has four (more than 1,000 rooms). Owned by the Cuban Cubanacán, Gran Caribe and Gaviota hotel chains, prestigious international firms like Meliá, Iberostar and Blau Hoteles participate in their management. In the keys there are more inexpensive accommodations in two hotels owned by the Islazul chain. Regarding market segments, the number of families that choose the keys as a vacation destination is on the upswing, as well as the couples who come for weddings or honeymoons. On average, 16,000 children arrive every year –around 8% of the arrivals; some 400 weddings are officiated, which are attended by some 4,000 guests; and more than 2,000 honeymooners are seen to, in addition to options only for adults. Meanwhile, the Acuavida Spa Talassoterapia Center, located in Cayo Coco’s hotel area, offers quality of life services that range from doctor’s visits to treatments. Forty kilometers of beaches of coralline origin, the area’s most important natural resource and the principal motivation for trips; marine and land ecosystems perfectly conserved; a flora of some 340 botanical species and a fauna of more than 200 bird species, where one of the Caribbean’s most important colony of pink flamingos live, are some of the natural values of these keys which grant the region very singular landscape values. Access can be by land, through a 17 km long causeway that crosses the Perros Bay; by air, using Cayo Coco’s international airport, only 15 and 45 minutes away, respectively, from the Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo hotel areas; and by sea… an international marina about to be finished on Cayo Guillermo. Jardines del Rey with its Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo and Cayo Paredón Grande is a sun, beach and nature destination in full expansion. In addition to the keys’ characteristics, they feature safety and tranquility, as well as the connection to terra firma that allows visitors to have contact with Cuban culture, history and its incomparable people. ■
Sports Tourism in Bahamas Could Attract US$100 Million The general director of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, David Johnson, said that the country could attract US$100 million through sports tourism. Johnson underlined that the government of Bahamas hopes that this year sports tourism will contribute some 12.3 million dollars to the national economy, a figure that should rise to 100 million dollars in 2014. “Three years ago we had only one track on sports tourism, called expenditures. It was not profitable. The situation changed and in 2011 we collected 10 million in benefits. For 2014, that segment should represent 5% of the total of tourism stays.”
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TRAVEL TRADE CARIBBEAN • YEAR XII • ISSUE 209 • MARCH 2012
International tourism to reach one billion in 2012
“INTERNATIONAL tourist arrivals grew by 4.4% in 2011 to a total 980 million, up from 939 million in 2010, in a year characterized by a stalled global economic recovery, major political changes in the Middle East and North Africa and natural disasters in Japan” according to de UNWTO Tourism Barometer.
By region, Europe (+6%) was the best performer in 2011, while by sub region South-America (+10%) topped the ranking. Contrary to previous years, growth was higher in advanced economies (+5.0%) than in emerging ones (+3.8%), due largely to the strong results in Europe, and the setbacks in the Middle East and North Africa. ■
Legislation on Medical Tourism in Panama PANAMANIAN legislators and representatives of the tourist sector of Panama announced they are promoting the approval of a law for medical tourism in order to attract more hard currency. Until now, medical or health tourism in Panama has been an activity practiced for a long time but there isn’t a regulation or legal framework duly established to regulate it. Parliamentarian Hugo Moreno, president of the Health Committee of the National Assembly of Deputies, met with diverse sectors with the aim of elaborating a draft law. Moreno affirmed that in Panama there is an opportunity for additional income for the country through this type of tourism.
NEW AIR CONNECTIONS IN THE CARIBBEAN NEW FLIGHT FROM ARGENTINA TO CUBA With a second flight from Buenos Aires to the International Airport of Cayo Coco, Argentina ranks as the third largest source of tourists to the destination Jardines del Rey in Central Cuba. The once a week charter flight will last until next April, with great prospects for summer. The aim is to achieve two airliner operations throughout the year, taking into account that seven percent of the visitors to Jardines del Rey are from Argentina. AIR JAMAICA IS PULLING OUT OF MIAMI Air Jamaica pulls out of Miami less than two months after returning to that city in Florida. Efforts to book seats from Norman Manley International to the Miami International Airport (MIA), last night proved futile, with availability up to the 31st of January. The airline returned to the busy airport on December 9 last year, almost three years after cutting the route. It is not clear what has forced the hands of the former national carrier so soon after its return. However, in early December its parent company, Caribbean Airlines, aggressively tried to woo passengers with introductory rates as low as US$79 one-way plus taxes. But at least one of the major travel agencies on the island confirmed that the loads were extremely light, and that affected the
Jardines del Rey, in Central Cuba, is one of the most attractive destinations for the Argentinean tourists.
airline badly. “They were fortunate if they had 35 or 45 people on board daily,” said an agent from the company. He said the flight times were unsustainable. ST. MAARTEN EXPLORES POSSIBILITIES WITH KLM The Daily Herald reports that according to tourism officials, Director of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau May-Ling Chun described her recent meeting with KLM Executives in Holland as positive. Chun headed a delegation to Holland recently, which met with several airlines, including KLM. The delegation informed KLM that its fares to St. Maarten are much higher than to most destinations in the Caribbean, Suriname and even as far as South as Brazil. It was also pointed out to KLM that there is now a tendency to fly via the United States to St. Maarten, because it’s less expen-
sive. KLM addressed the matter by stating that they are well aware of the situation and the reason for the high fares is due to the lack of competition on the St. Maarten route. KLM officials said they understand that this makes the situation to promote the destination in Europe more difficult, and added that KLM would be interested in looking into joint promotional opportunities to assist in promoting the route. FLIGHT TIME FROM ITALY TO SEVERAL CARIBBEAN AND SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES A travelers guide on Internet calculate the travel destination arrival time to average flight durations from Italy to a selection of international airports Including Caribbean and South American countries.
To Argentina: Flight time from Rome, Italy to Buenos Aires, Argentina: 14 hours Best time to travel: September-November, March-May Bahamas: Flight time from Rome, Italy to Nassau, Bahamas: 12 hours Best time to travel: November-April Barbados (Caribbean) Flight time from Rome, Italy to Christ Church, Barbados (Caribbean): 13 hours Best time to travel: November-April Brazil: Flight time from Rome, Italy to Sao Paulo, Brazil: 11 hours Best time to travel: May-September Mexico: Flight time from Rome, Italy to Cancun, Mexico: 16 hours Best time to travel: November-June This data represents the quickest achievable flight time between destinations and assumes minimal delays between transfers. ■
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TRAVEL TRADE CARIBBEAN • YEAR XII • ISSUE 209 • MARCH 2012
FOTOSUB 2012 International Underwater Photography Contest From May 20 to 24 in Cayo Largo.
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Third place Environment with diver. FOTOSUB 2009.
he FOTOSUB 2012 International Underwater Photography Contest will be held in Cayo Largo May 20-24. With a competitive character in the Open modality, it has been designed for the selection and presentation of digital photos of underwater flora and fauna taken during the competition days. Certified photographers and models who comply with what is stipulated in the contest’s regulations will be able to participate. Convened by the Marlin S.A. Nautical and Marina Business Group, through the Cubatur Travel Agency and under the advice of the Cuban Federation of Underwater Activities, the competition program forecasts the arrival on May 20 of the participants to Cayo Largo, their accreditation, information for the contestants about the regulations of the event and the inauguration. From the 21st to the 23rd, the competitors will leave from the Cayo Largo Marina on vessels towards the diving points to carry out the professional activities and make two immersions, whose first session will be to get familiarized and the rest will be for competition. The activities conclude on the 24th with the
handing over to the jury members the vying images, the awards ceremony and the closing session. The categories in competition are: Fish, Environment with and without diver, Macros and Macros with theme (the Gobios species). FOTOSUB will award 17 prizes: first, second and third places by category; an absolute prize for the competitor with the highest accumulation of points by category (Absolute Champion), and to the Best Model. One same contestant will be able to win several prizes. FOTOSUB dates back to 1978, when the first diving incursions were carried out in Punta Francés, until the 1st Underwater Photography Meeting was held in 1983 in El Colony –then declared an International Scuba Diving Center. During these years, the Colony Hotel’s tourist product has been upgraded and its markets and agreements with national and foreign tour operators and travel agencies have been expanded. ■ CONTACT especializado@marlin.tur.cu specialtour@cubatur.cyt.cu www.photosubcuba.com
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TRAVEL TRADE CARIBBEAN • YEAR XII • ISSUE 209 • MARCH 2012
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uba’s Iberostar Varadero, Meliá Las Dunas, Playa Pesquero and Paradisus Rio de Oro & Spa hotels received the 2011 Primo prizes (among the 10 best hotels) awarded by the German Neckermann tour operator, which forms part of the Thomas Cook travel group, one the largest in the world. The prizes are awarded to the 100 hotels preferred worldwide by the company’s clients, of which 20 are always long-distance establishments (located in countries more than six hours away by plane). Iberostar Varadero is a modern five-star hotel with 386 comfortable rooms and several restaurants in 11 buildings, facing the coast of the most famous Cuban beach. Meanwhile, the 925-room Meliá Las Dunas, in Cayo Santa María, vividly recreates environments for both families and couples. Located on the northern coast of Holguín, the Playa Pesquero, with 912 rooms, is ideal for children, couples, friends or families who wish to enjoy the Caribbean’s traditions; and the five-star-plus Paradisus Río de Oro Resort & Spa, with 300 rooms, is designed for adults and is recommended for
Clockwise, Elvira González, Commercial director of Iberostar Caribe; Roland Junker, senior product manager of Thomas Cook & Neckermann; Gabriel Cánaves, general director of the Cuba Division of Meliá Hotels International; Manuel Marrero, Cuban minister of tourism; and Yohania Vargas, Sales director of Grupo Gaviota. Photo: TTC.
Neckermann Awards Prizes to Four Cuban Hotels weddings, honeymoons, incentives and wellness/spa. Roland Junker, senior product manager of Thomas Cook & Neckermann, handed over the awards in the Cuba stand during
FITUR 2012, in the presence of Cuban Minister of Tourism Manuel Marrero. Thomas Cook/Neckermann has been operating in Cuba since 1992 and, according to Junker, “it
has witnessed the rapid evolution of the island’s tourist industry and the growth of tourist flows from Germany and other European nations to the Caribbean country.” ■
Principal Direct Air Connections Between Germany and the Caribbean AIRLINE
CARIBBEAN DESTINATION
AIRLINE
CARIBBEAN DESTINATION
LTU
Cuba
Condor
Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Nassau, Bahamas
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda
Aruba
Barbados
Dominican Republic
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Bahamas
Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, La Romana and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Bermuda Belice
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Guadeloupe
Cancún, México
Puerto Rico Martinique Haiti Cayman Islands Virgin Islands Trinidad and Tobago Jamaica Netherlands Antilles Condor
Varadero, Havana and Holguín, Cuba
Saint Lucia Air Berlin
Varadero, Cuba Montego Bay, Jamaica Puerto Plata and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Cancún, México Bridgetown, Barbados Freeport and Nassau, Bahamas Curaçao San Juan, Puerto Rico
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TRAVEL TRADE CARIBBEAN • YEAR XII • ISSUE 209 • MARCH 2012
Hoteles C at ITB 2012
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he Hoteles C hotel company is coming to this edition of ITB 2012 with a tight agenda of meetings with the principal German tour operators as well as with agencies of the Belgian, Dutch and Canadian markets. It will present the latest novelties and will close important agreements for 2012 with the purpose of over fulfilling its objectives for this new year. Thus, Hoteles C has ended 2011 by closing its balances with a total income of 10% more than the previous year. With more than 15 years managing hotels, an extensive experience endorses the company, which has been consolidating the trust of its collaborators while promoting the destination, to incorporate to its management operations seven hotel establishments in Cuba with a total of 1,515 rooms under the Hoteles C brand name. Its portfolio includes a city hotel in Havana, 25 villas and two hotels in Playas del Es-
Presidente Hotel.
te and three tourist resorts in Varadero. We find the emblematic Presidente Hotel in Havana, symbol of elegance and colonial style, by the Malecón seaside drive. Just 20 km from the capital, in Santa María Beach, are the Tropicoco Hotel and the Atlántico-Villa Los Pinos complex. And in Varadero beach resort, the Aguas Azules, Barlovento and Arenas Do-
radas hotels offer a wide range of services in the 24-hour All Inclusive, gastronomic diversity, animation, aquatic sports and shows which our guests enjoy during their stay. ■ Málaga, February 10, 2012 Pepa Montiel — Hoteles C Raytur Caribe, S.A.
Main Office: Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones, C. México, 3 -3a planta / 29620 Torremolinos – Málaga –Spain / Tel.: +34.952.05.13.08 /Fax: +34.952.05.05.81 Email: central@hotelesc.com Cuba Branch: 5ta Avenida Número 6403, entre 64 y 66, Municipio Playa, Havana, Cuba / Tel.:53.7.204.93.08 / Fax: 53.7.204.93.09 / Email: hotelesc@enet.cu www.hotelesc.com
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TRAVEL TRADE CARIBBEAN • YEAR XII • ISSUE 209 • MARCH 2012
Ecotur’s New Projections
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cotur is a receptive travel agency specializing in nature tourism. It celebrated its 15th anniversary on August 13, 2011, when it became sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism of Cuba (MINTUR). Its incorporation into MINTUR has implied changes in the mission and greater reach of its work, for which, in the domestic sphere, it has strengthened the structure with commercial offices in the tourist destinations to market the product portfolio in the country, in addition to an office in Havana, boosted for mainly sales from abroad. Its varied catalog comprises jeep safari excursions, in great demand since clients can en-
MORE TOURISTS TO VISIT NICARAGUA IN 2012 THE NICARAGUAN Institute of Tourism (Intur) announced that the country expects tourist arrivals in 2012 will increase by 6.7% as compared to 2011. According to Intur, the local leisure industry will have to attend to 1.1 million tourists this year. The indicator in which the greatest increase is expected will be that of hard currency, and it is estimated that this year 19% more could be collected than last year, surpassing the 460 million dollars in income from tourism. Mario Salinas, Intur executive president, said that for 2012 “it is important to achieve tourists’ satisfaction and standards. That they stay longer, and in that sense we have been improving, we went from 5.4 to 8.2 days.” ■
Dominican Republic Hotel Occupancy Rates Increase THE HOTEL occupancy rates in the Dominican Republic increased 2.7% in 2011, with an average of 69.3%. According to data by the Hotel and
joy nautical offers, horseback riding and have direct contact with nature and the autochthonous customs; specialized bird-watching programs, trekking, tourism cycling, scuba diving, game or other types of fishing, tailormade for each client. If Ecotur’s portfolio is diverse, also diverse are the markets and segments to which it is directed, especially France, Germany, UK, Russia and Canada. The destinations preferred by clients coincide with areas with high natural values, the majority of them protected areas: Viñales and Mil Cumbres (Pinar del Río), Ciénaga de Zapata (Matanzas), Topes de Collantes and
Banao (Sancti Spíritus), Hanabanilla (Santa Clara), La Belén and Limones (Tuabaquey, Camagüey), El Turquino and Desembarco (Granma), Baconao and La Gran Piedra (Santiago de Cuba) and Baracoa, with its Yunque and Alejandro de Humboldt parks. This agency constantly generates new product designs, according to market demands. For 2012 it aims to continue developing the specialized circuits, jeep programs and excursions, expand its sales network to areas of interest for nature tourism; keep updated its website www.ecoturcuba.co.cu and organize and promote TURNAT, to be held in Granma in September 2013. ■
Jamaica to Promote Golf Tourism
Tourism Association of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores), it is a question of a consolidated growth as compared to the previous year, during which there was only a 0.6% increase, with a mean 66.6%. The country received 4,306,431 foreign visitors, 4.4% more than in 2010, when the figure stood at
JAMAICA’S tourism authorities announced they will promote sports tourism through golf, very attractive for tourists who visit every year the Caribbean region. While in 2006 and 2008 Bahía Príncipe Residences & Golf started up two golf projects in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, now it will be Jamaica’s turn, a communiqué on the Internet announced. A hotel, the Gran Bahía Príncipe Jamaica, in Runaway Bay, has residential areas, plots of land for promoters and an extensive sports area that will be the foundation for the new project. ■
4,124,543. Out of the visitors received in 2011, 89.1% stayed in hotels. On the other hand, by areas, the highest occupancy rates were registered in Punta Cana, which maintained a 76.3%, followed by Romana Bayahibe, with 75.3%. Regarding the nationality of the visitors, the biggest growth
was among those from the United States, almost 60,000 more than the previous year for a 4.8% increase. In general, there was a considerable increase of visitors from the American continent, but in the case of Europe the number decreased 0.79% - in the case of Spain it was 9.6%.
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Alitalia Seeks Merger with Wind Jet Airlines and Blue Panorama AN ALITALIA provisional agreement was announced for its merger with Wind Jet Airlines and Blue Panorama Airlines, two Italian operators of the domestic and European markets, for which Alitalia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the two companies. Alitalia pointed out that the planned integration of Blue Panorama and Wind Jet is in line with the “process of continued consolidation” in the national as well as international air transport sector. The first Italian airline, which last year transported some 25 million passengers, affirms that both companies have “synergic and complementary profiles” in terms of their network and fleet, which could be exploited in an alliance. ■
Florida’s Orlando Airport Authorized to Fly to Cuba THE ORLANDO Airport, in the U.S. state of Florida, was authorized by the government to operate flights to Cuba, although for the time being “specific plans” regarding this were not announced. A communiqué from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office announced the authorization, according to the Florida daily The Sentinel. Phil Brown, executive director of the Orlando Aviation Authority, confirmed that “the Orlando International Airport will now be able to provide more convenient access to Cuba for the Florida residents born on the island.” He added that the terminal will be able to use the authorization in the future. The airports authorized to operate flights to Cuba are: Chicago O'Hare (Illinois), Baltimore (Maryland), Dallas/Fort Worth
(Texas), New Orleans (Louisiana), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Tampa, Key West, Palm Beach, Fort Myers and Fort Lauderdale (Florida), Atlanta (Georgia) and the Luis Muñoz Marín Airport in San Juan (Puerto Rico). Only the Los Angeles (California), Miami (Florida) and New York airports were authorized to operate charter flights to Cuba before the U.S. government announced new measures to favor more relations with the Cubans on the island.
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TRAVEL TRADE CARIBBEAN • YEAR XII • ISSUE 209 • MARCH 2012
The Tourism Industry is a Major Export Business for Suriname ■ Karen Tjon
Manager Marketing & Promotion, Suriname Tourism Foundation
T Tourist Group Develops Colombian Caribbean THE URBAN tourist group announced it plans to turn Colombia into a tourist referent for the Caribbean, and for this it is investing 469 million euros on a project that will include four hotels, 2,000 dwellings and leisure centers. The grand complex will be located along the stretch that connects Barranquilla to Cartagena and will be named Mar de Indias. It will be a 10-year project, divided into 10 different construction phases that will serve to classify and fragment the building periods.
JAMAICA EXPECTS MORE THAN A MILLION CRUISE TOURISTS JAMAICAN Minister of Tourism Wykeham McNeill said that his country plans to reach the 1.3 million cruise tourists in 2012, higher than the 1.1 million in 2011. Around 95% of the space for outlets is open in the cruise port of Falmouth, for the processing of the passengers. McNeill added that investment has continued in surrounding areas and in the entire town of Trelawny. According to an official press release, the executive plans to apply the lessons learned in Falmouth to improve the cruise ship operations and the experience of visitors, in Ocho Rios as well as in Montego Bay.
he tourism industry is a major export business and the third largest contributor to foreign income for Suriname. Our tourism product consists of a mixture of four tourism pillars: nature, culture, heritage and events. Main destinations, just to mention a few, are: ▶ The Capital Paramaribo, with its old wooden inner city, being a UNESCO cultural world heritage site ▶ The Commewijne River with some highlights being: the Fortress of New Amsterdam, old plantations, river dolphin spotting, experiencing the traditional Javanese and Maroon lifestyles. ▶ The Upper Suriname River region with many traditional Maroon villages and beautiful scenery. ▶ Wetland in the coastal areas (bird watching). ▶ Hinterland (with pristine rainforest) offers remotely located both luxury resorts and basic camping facilities, most of which are only accessible by small airplane and/or dugout canoe. ▶ The Central Suriname Nature Reserve, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Total arrivals for 2012 have not yet been processed. However, until November 2011 we have received 196,865 visitors. When compared to the same period in 2010, we received 181,856 until November 2010 (thus a +8.25%), one can conclude that the numbers are on the rise. The Netherlands, Guyana and French Guiana; new emerging ones are: the USA, Caribbean countries, Belgium, France, Germany and the UK are the principal issuing markets.
Nickerie.
Suriname Airways (SLM) and Air France / KLM are the air connections that carry the largest amount of visitors; and Access Suriname Travel, Anaula Nature Resort, Does Travel & Cadushi Tours, METS Travel and Tours, Orange Travel, Purity Tours and Services, Waterproof Tours Suriname, are some of the main inbound tour operators. The principal tourism modalities the destination operates are: Nature-based tourism, special interested tourism, diaspora and heritage tourism, health tourism, event tourism. Suriname develops some multidestination programs together with South American countries, such as: ▶ ACTT: Amazon Conservation Tourism Trail (Suriname, Guyana and Brazil) ▶ CATP: Combined Amazon Tourism Product (Suriname, French Guiana and Brazil). Besides, on a small scale (a few ships per year), cruise tourism is operated and it is included among the new products and new investments under way. Some aspects on the country’s projections to develop the local tourist industry:
▶ Since November 2011, visitors from the Netherlands, France, USA, Canada and all UNASUR countries can enter the country on a tourist card. Other countries are soon to follow. ▶ Transition of the Suriname Tourism Foundation from a financially dependent semigovernmental foundation to an independent self-supporting tourism board. ▶ Passing of the Tourism Law by Parliament in the near future Suriname is seen very well in the context of Caribbean integration. From January-June 2012, our President heads the CARICOM. Suriname participates in every aspect in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). However, we are a unique Caribbean country, because we are a green destination, speak Dutch and are not an island, but are located on the mainland (north coast of South America). Almost daily direct flights from Schiphol (Amsterdam) to Paramaribo and from Paris to Cayenne (a good starting point to explore the Amazon product and travel further over land to Paramaribo), offer visitors a good perspective for their next long-haul vacation. ■