Cuban First Deputy Minister of Tourism Jorge Alberto Garcia Dominguez: The Turkish market plays an important role for Cuban tourism. Officials from both countries are working together to develop future cooperation. There are many conveniences for Turkish tourists to obtain a visa to come to our country. Turkish Airlines Havana Manager Erkan İnce said: “We will carry approximately 110 thousand passengers in 2024.” Our occupancy rate was 86 percent. he said.
HAVANA (AA) – Cuba, an island country in the Caribbean, attracts the attention of Turkish tourists with its natural beauties, nostalgic cities and health tourism.
After a flight of approximately 14 hours, 11 thousand kilometers away from Turkey, Havana Jose Marti Airport, named after one of Cuba’s national heroes, is reached.
Although the country has a semi-tropical climate and a winter climate in January-February, the temperature felt does not fall below 22 degrees. In this respect, the crowd is noticeable at the airport of the country, which attracts a lot of tourists from the Arctic countries that experience the winter months.
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean with a surface area of approximately 110 thousand square kilometers. According to World Bank data, the economic size of the island country, where more than 11 million people live, is over 100 billion dollars.
Havana, the capital of the country, fascinates those who see it with its classic American cars on its roads, colorful houses and wide streets.
Havana, the most populous city, is also the most important commercial center with its port. The city, which adds its commercial profile to its historical identity, differs from many cities in Cuba in this respect.
While the population generally lives in the area called Old Havana, the Cuban government center, ministries, business centers and diplomatic representations remain within the newly established settlement area.
The historical, cultural and architectural richness of the city is located in Old Havana, which is also on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. This part of the city resembles an open-air museum.
Founded by the Spanish in the 16th century, Havana offers tourists a nostalgic atmosphere with its timeless houses and streets.
Cuba’s interesting transportation system stands out as you wander the streets. While bicycle taxis are popular with the public due to their cheapness, tourists prefer city tours with classic American cars.
Although the country’s currency is peso, dollars and euros are also used for shopping. Shopping with credit card can only be done in very limited places.
– Ataturk’s bust is in Cuba
It is possible to see the traces of the process known as the “Cuban Revolution” both in Havana and other cities of the country. The words and pictures of Che Guevera and Fidel Castro attract attention on the walls of many buildings. On the street where the busts of revolutionary statesmen are located, there is also a bust of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk with the words “Peace at home, peace in the world” written on it.
There are various tropical fruits in the meals and tables served to tourists. Tropical fruits, from pineapple to guayaba, from mango to papaya, are consumed even for breakfast.
The most important feature that introduces Cuba to the world is the production of cigars and tobacco products. Tobacco, which is cultivated and harvested under state control, is dried and then rolled using classical methods and turned into cigars. The products are offered for sale under state control.
Tourism is the country’s most important source of economic income. The city of Varadero, one of the holiday resorts of the country famous for its ocean beaches, attracts the attention of tourists with its “all-inclusive” hotels. The town’s fine sand and turquoise blue waters are among the factors that increase the charm of this place.
Cuba has been among the places where cancer patients have placed their hopes in recent years. Large hospitals in some parts of Havana attract attention. The country is making plans to crown its competence in this field with health tourism.
– Visa convenience for Turkish tourists
Cuban First Deputy Minister of Tourism Jorge Alberto Garcia Dominguez evaluated the tourism potential between his country and Türkiye to the AA correspondent.
Stating that they apply electronic visas for Turkish tourists, Dominguez said, “The Turkish market plays an important role in Cuban tourism. Officials from both countries are working together to develop future cooperation. There are many conveniences for Turkish tourists to obtain a visa to come to our country. “To come to Cuba as a tourist, you can obtain a visa from the authorized agencies where you purchase tickets or tours, and we have a digital visa system that tourists can obtain by filling out a form when they arrive in Cuba.” he said.
Stating that the number of tourists coming from Turkey has increased, Dominguez said, “Our main market is Canada. We host more than one million tourists annually from this country. However, Türkiye broke a record with more than 19 thousand tourists in 2017. Then we had the pandemic and we are recovering now. “We aim to host approximately 22 thousand tourists from Turkey in 2025.” he said.
– Great interest in THY’s Cuba flights
Turkish Airlines (THY) Havana Manager Erkan İnce stated that they operate Cuba flights with a high occupancy rate of 86 percent.
Noting that THY’s Havana flights started in 2017, İnce said, “The 2024 winter schedule continues as 5 frequencies per week. We carry out our flight operations as Istanbul-Havana direct and Havana-Caracas-Istanbul. We carried approximately 110 thousand passengers in 2024. Our occupancy rate was 86 percent. 75 percent of our passengers continued their travels as transit passengers through Istanbul. We carry 25 percent of passengers directly from Istanbul to Havana. Our main purpose is to carry passengers to and from Cuba. As our flights increase, our occupancy rates also increase. “Especially in the winter schedule, we carry more passengers here due to winter in the northern hemisphere.” he said.
Stating that THY is the airline company that flies to the most countries in the world, İnce said, “Our most important feature is the size of our flight network. We are the airline company that flies to the most countries in the world. This is the biggest plus for us. Our second most important difference is our in-flight refreshments. This is one of the most important factors why our passengers choose us.” he said.
