Author Name: Carribean Channel, Cuba TV.
This story was originally published on canalcaribe.ict.cu. [1]

National Assembly: Cuban deputies in action
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The Cuban deputies meet on Thursday in plenary to receive information from the ministries of tourism and industry, prior to the third regular session of the IX Legislature of the National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP).

The president, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez and the president of the ANPP, Esteban Lazo Hernández, are in room 1 of the Havana Convention Center, together with more than 600 parliamentarians.

This Thursday, the Minister of Tourism, Manuel Marrero Cruz offers the deputies an analysis of how the sector has evolved in recent years, through indicators such as income, arrival of international visitors and hotel facilities.

In a complex situation, the tourism sector seeks alternatives in the market

The holder of MINTUR, together with other officials of the sector, shows the evolution of the leisure industry during the 2008-2018 period: Tourists: In 2008, 2 million 348 thousand 340 passengers came to Cuba, and in 2014 the 3 million were reached for the first time, and two years later the figure of 4 million was surpassed, until reaching a record last calendar with 4 million 732 One thousand 480 international visitors. In this decade there is a growth of 100.2%. Hotel plant: Ten years ago there were 48 thousand 638 rooms in the country, while at the end of the previous year there were 70 thousand 884 rooms in 393 hotels, growing in the decade by 45.7%. Income: From 2008 to 2016, the OSDEs assisted by the Ministry of Tourism did not show significant increases in their revenues. In 2008, one million 213 thousand 291 CUC were registered, while six years later the figure rose to one million 978 thousand 873 CUC, while in the last two years it decreased, reaching one million 840 thousand 331 CUC at the end of 2018.At the end of May, 2 million 285 thousand 989 visitors were received, representing 96.9% compliance with the plan and 5.83% growth. In this period, the main tourist markets in Europe (France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and Spain) decreased by 14.2%.

For the modality of cruises, there were 409 thousand 23 vacationers, with an increase of 36.26%. Revenues in the sector are met at 90.6%, representing an increase of 1.5% compared to the same period last year. A cost and expense ratio of 58.9 cents is achieved. The head of the sector reported that since the announcement of the new measures of the United States Government against Cuba, the commercial situation in June is complex. At the close of day 21, the plan behaves at 75% and the month decreases by 20.33%. “The greatest impact on this result is in arrivals by sea, since cruise ships were suspended on June 5. At the moment we do not have any ship operating in Cuba, “says Marrero Cruz.

🔹 It is prohibited to travel to Cuba to private and corporate planes, cruises, sailboats, fishing boats and other aircraft and similar boats.

🔹 The group educational trips people to people (town to town) are eliminated.

🔹 This affects more than 560 thousand Americans in the remainder of the yearAccording to the report presented, although the operations of the airlines have not been modified, it is expected that they will also have some impact, due to the fear generated by the measures in the US clients that intend to travel to Cuba. In fact, several groups of visitors who traveled to the Greater Antilles by air under the same travel license have been canceled. Recently they received fines online sales agencies (Expedia Group, Hotelbeds USA and Cubasphere), “with which communication is maintained, to know the scope and implications of these measures,” said Marrero Cruz.

The online sales companies continue to remove from their sales platforms, several hotel facilities in Cuba, including the hotels Nacional, Capri and Habana Libre, in Havana; Kawama in Varadero; San Carlos in Cienfuegos, and it is expected to continue eliminating other facilities that may be subject to claims under Title III of the Helms-Burton.To counteract the current situation, the head of MINTUR said that a plan of actions designed to flexibilize the commercial policy and to stimulate the flow of visitors from abroad, including Cuban residents, was elaborated.

🔹 Multiply communication actions on the Internet and social networks, as well as reinforce online sales. 🔹 Actions are directed to stimulate national tourism in hotels.

🔹 Ministry visits are being made to the territories to analyze all the income reserves that are not being used.

🔹 Stimulate the use of local products, not as an option, but as an urgent need, to have greater sustainability and create productive linkages. Each month more than 5 thousand foreign visitors are surveyed at the exit of the country, and at the end of May 2019, 42% of the respondents were repeating.

Among the reasons they exhibit to select the destination, they highlight its beaches, the hospitality of its people, safety, and culture and heritage.According to Marrero Cruz, there have been difficulties in the non-state sector, particularly with regard to contracting with the payment of a price higher than the real value of the product or service received, and on the other hand, not all cooperatives do not agricultural activities work well. So far this year, the top business management organizations (OSDE) of tourism have signed 2 thousand 858 contracts with self-employed workers and cooperatives for housing, gastronomy, transport, construction, repairs and maintenance services.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Industry will report to the parliamentarians on the management of cadres, investments and production, as well as the main work projections for 2019. The impact of programs such as the policy for increasing the recovery of raw materials and the reordering and efficient use of machinery and equipment in the national economy will also be evaluated. After five days of work, the session of the 12th will be destined to the study by the deputies, gathered in working groups, of the bills that will be submitted to the approval of the Assembly.

From Saturday 13, when the third ordinary period of the IX Legislature begins, the reports of the execution of the Economy Plan in the first semester and the liquidation of the 2018 budget will be announced in plenary. Likewise, during the weekend, the Electoral, National Symbols and Fishing bills will be submitted for approval, and the National Electoral Council will be elected.

(C) Cuba TV, Cuban state owned media.
[1] Url: https://www.canalcaribe.icrt.cu/en/national-assembly-cuban-deputies-in-action/