Tourism Viewed as Livelihood

This pandemic period has reaffirmed many things: the human need for solidarity, the importance of optimizing resources, teleworking as a tool and not a mere alternative, health protocols for safe tourism. It has buttressed a communication scenario where the virtual has expanded and sometimes takes precedence over interaction in or with the real world. The virtual has also been a space where the loss of values is expressed in an important part of society.

This has been a time of dissatisfaction for many, of truncated or postponed projects. It has cost Excelencias the farewell of valuable journalists and collaborators who lost their lives. But, as many do in their life or professional experience, in travels or in the face of knowledge, we continue to seek new horizons. In just two years, we managed to advance what would have taken perhaps a decade to implement new technologies and applications.

We reinforced digital reading, which began in 1997 with the launching of our first magazine Excelencias Turísticas del Caribe y las Américas on the Internet, complete and free of charge, when the only thing that was uploaded was the cover and a summary as a promotional element. We bet on the digital dissemination of free and free contents to boost our reason for being born: to communicate Cuba's and the Caribbean's tourism excellences to the world.

Our objectives were soon achieved. Having an audited control of 75,000 copies of mixed distribution in Spain was a record in the face of large international publishing groups. Being Havana Club's communications magazine was another significant achievement.

Also, being among the media that presented to the world an innovative and objective image of Cuba, which was necessary during the complex years of the Special Period. It fills us with joy to recall these milestones when the project is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Today we want to convey a message of hope, as we did in the 1990s. Difficult times can be overcome with effort, work and solidarity. Strategic planning must continue to rely on the print and digital media specialized in truthful information on the development of the countries of the region, especially Cuba.

Full realization occurs on the plane of the real, communication in social networks is not everything, neither in life nor in the industry. The return to physical fairs will help local economies because of the spillovers they bring in that area and at the national level. Even more so when estimates point to no less than three years, starting in 2022, to recover pre-2020 economic levels.

Some countries did not completely close their borders and this, in addition to generating income, maintained structures that could not be abandoned and was a great support to the tourism sector, the engine of many economies. Countries such as Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica hardly closed their borders and U.S. tourism was strategic there. Cuba put the health and life of its citizens before any other motivation, and does not access the U.S. market due to the blockade. It opted to continue with the investments it had already made and to improve its hotel plant. FITCuba should be the showcase for this, with the participation of those who contribute to the tourism industry, both state and non-state.

Raising the quality of hotel and catering services requires greater efficiency and facilities to import raw materials and inputs in this sector, an economic engine and source of resources to boost the country's development and improve the quality of life of its people.