Cuba Expects Tourist Record Despite Storms, Crisis
Date: 17-Nov-08
Country: CUBA
The projection came during an airport ceremony in which Vice Minister of Tourism Alexis Trujillo welcomed passengers on an Air Canada flight said to have included this year's 2 millionth tourist.
The passengers got mojito cocktails while musicians played the Cuban song "Guantanmera."
"This year we will surpass 2.34 million visitors, which is a record number," Trujillo said.
Cuba was devastated by three hurricanes this year that did almost $10 billion in damage, but the government has said they did not stop many tourists from coming.
Trujillo said bookings were strong going into 2009, but that at some point there could be "some kind of effect" on Cuban tourism as global financial problems deepen.
Officials have said 2.1 million tourists visited the island in 2007, which is the current record.
Tourism is one of the main sources of foreign currency for Cuba, which has said it expects tourist revenues of $2.5 billion this year.
(Reporting by Rosa Tania Valdes; editing by Jeff Franks)