Cuba seeks to obtain the Welcome Chinese Certification, awarded by the China Tourism Academy, and is inserted in the Asian giant’s applications to promote tourism and the direct Havana-Beijing flight, as reported by a specialized source today.
In statements to the Cuban press, the Minister of Tourism for Asia, Elizabeth Vela, explained that these measures join other incentives adopted by the Caribbean nation such as the visa exemption for Chinese citizens holding ordinary passports.
To this end, the island promotes charter flights, works to improve internet and Wi-Fi infrastructure, uses popular applications in China such as Weibo, WeChat, Mafengwo, Ctrip or Douyin, and creates facilities payment through QR codes.
According to Vela, other actions are aimed at perfecting the UnionPay system and enabling a 24-hour call center. She also stressed the granting to China of the status of guest of honor of the 43rd International Tourism Fair to be held in Havana in 2025.
In recent days, the GZL International Travel Service LTD agency organized a promotional event in coordination with AirChina to highlight the benefits of the Caribbean country and the direct Havana-Beijing flight, with a stopover in Madrid, which began operating on May 17. The activity’s target audience was tourists from southern China, specifically residents of Guangzhou.
In this context, the Consul General of Cuba to China, Marina Domenech, pointed out the historical relationship between both nations, as well as the natural and cultural attractions of the Caribbean nation.
More than 176 years ago, the island received the first groups of Chinese who arrived in Latin America and the Caribbean, and was also the first nation in the Western Hemisphere to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.
Between 1995 and 2018, visits from China experienced a boom with an average annual growth of 16.9 percent and in this sense, 2018 marked a record for arrivals with 49,944 visitors.
Furthermore, from May 25 to June 2, the Minister of Tourism of Cuba, Juan Carlos García Granda, carried out an extensive work agenda in several provinces of China, including Shanghai and Beijing. During his stay, he contacted the main travel agencies and tour operators to promote the insertion of the island as a tourist destination on the main digital platforms in China
