Russian tourists are in the first place in Cuba in 2020

According to Oscar Henriquez Diaz, a spokesman for the island's tourism ministry (Mintur), Russian tourists for the first time in history have become the leaders in numbers in Cuba after the resumption of flights.

"Four years ago, tourists from Canada and Cubans (living abroad) most often came to Cuba. The United States were on the third line, then - Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, Spain and Mexico. Russia was only tenth in terms of the number of tourists. Since 2016, the Russian market began to grow rapidly and in 2019 reached the third place pushing many countries back. In 2019, 178 thousand Russian tourists visited Cuba, this is a record number. Compared to 2018, it grew by 50% ", - he told reporters.

According to a Mintur spokesman, the Russian market has grown fastest in the past four years.

"This year, before the coronavirus epidemic, Russia was in the first place in terms of the number of tourists with an increase of 33%. And if the pandemic had not happened, we expected the arrival of 220 thousand Russian tourists. Now this goal is postponed, but we expect to reach it in 2021 -2022 and we hope that Russia will remain as the main source market for us," Oscar Henriquez Diaz added.

Air traffic between Russia and Cuba resumed on November 2. During the first month, the island was visited by 3 thousand Russian tourists. Flights from Russia are still operated four times a week by two airlines – Royal Flight and Nordwind. Due to the pandemic, planes with tourists can only land on the small islands of Cayo Coco and Cayo Largo. Airports on the main island of Cuba are still closed for tourist flights from Russian airports.