More Tourists Flock to Cuba’s Jardines del Rey

The dozen hotels perched on the archipelago of Jardines del Rey, a beach destination spotted on the northern keys off the Cuban province of Ciego de Avila, are boasting a whopping 95 percent occupancy rate. The circuit set recently a new record high for most visitors in one single day, said Luis Baez, marketing manager for the Tourism Ministry in that region.

Mr. Baez explained that last February 29, the number of checked-in guests in that developing travel circuit peaked 6,576 trippers, hailing mostly from Canada, the U.K., Germany and Italy, a record-setting figure for Jardines del Rey.

The amount of rooms in Jardines del Rey soared to 3,620 accommodations just a few days ago following the grand opening of the Playa Coco Hotel, run by Cuban company Gaviota S.A.

The increasingly higher number of sunbathers in that destination is owed to an efficient advertisement policy that has put Cuba’s northern keys in the virtual limelight of international fairs and business events conducted via the Internet, Mr. Baez indicated.

But the most influential aspect of all –he went on to say- was the upgrade of service quality, the addition of more extra-hotel choices and the planning of more cultural, recreational and heritage-oriented activities.

Mr. Baez also noted that in the course of the ongoing high-peak season, Canada, Great Britain, Germany and Italy continue to lead the pack of incoming visitors, though there are significant increments in the amount of trekkers coming from Latin America.

The Cuban official acknowledged the contribution made by the Cayo Coco International Airport opened nearly a year ago and accommodating over 33 flights every week.