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Russian tourist inflow to Cuba doubles compared to 2014

More than 52,000 Russian tourists visited Cuba in January-June of 2017

MOSCOW, August 2. /TASS/. Tourist inflow from Russia to Cuba grew by 2.3 times in the first six months of this year when compared to the same period of the pre-crisis year of 2014, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) said in a statement.

"According to the Russian office of the Cuban Tourism Ministry, during this period, more than 52,000 Russian tourists visited Cuba, which is 2.2 times more than in January-June period of 2016 and 2.3 times more than in the same period of 2014," the statement reads.

Sources in the Cuban Tourism Ministry earlier said that they expected more than 70,000 Russians to visit the country in 2017, provided that favorable economic conditions remained. If this forecast proves correct, then the tourist inflow numbers will go back to the pre-crisis level.

The ATOR pointed out that Cuba’s tourism industry workers ascribed the growing Russian tourist inflow to the stabilizing exchange rate of the Russian currency, the ruble, and the increasing number of flights, including charter ones.

According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, as far as Russian-Cuban tourism relations go, 2012 still remains the most successful year, which saw around 87,000 Russian arrivals to Cuba.