“Jaime González” Airport in Cienfuegos Resumes International Commercial Operations After Six-Year Hiatus
After six years of inactivity, the “Jaime González” Airport in Cienfuegos has resumed its international commercial operations. The revival flight was carried out by a Boeing 737 from the Albatros airline company of Venezuela. This route not only connects Cuba and Venezuela but also involves three other nations, with plans to revitalize various connections with central Cuba. The airport is fully prepared to handle the growing influx of visitors, according to a report on National Television.
A representative of the Pearl of the South airport expressed confidence in their ability to handle the transportation of all arriving clients, stating that passengers have differing expectations and needs. The resumption of international commercial operations is seen as a positive development for both collaboration and tourism missions.
Cuban Tourism Falls Short in 2023
Cuban tourism fell short of its visitor arrival forecasts in 2023. The National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) revealed that only 54% of the agreed plan for 2023 had been met, with 1,973,085 tourists visiting the country in the first 10 months of the year—far from the expected 3.5 million. However, this figure represents a notable increase of 164.6% compared to the previous year, which was still affected by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canada remains the largest supplier of tourists to Cuba, with 748,976 visitors, followed by the Cuban diaspora with 297,034 travelers, and Russia and the United States with 146,306 and 130,331 tourists, respectively. Despite falling short of expectations, the increase in tourist arrivals is seen as a positive sign for the recovering tourism industry in Cuba.