MOSCOW, March 24. /TASS/. Cuba has proposed that Russia should increase the number of direct flights and open flights to other cities, for example Holguin, Cuban Tourism Minister Juan Carlos Garcia Granda said in an interview with TASS.

According to the minister, the decision to operate more flights is a sovereign decision of the Russian government.

"We came here to show how safe it is to visit our country, to explain the essence of sanitary and epidemical measures, and to assure of our readiness to provide safe holidays for Russian tourists," the minister indicated. "We suggested that flights to other cities, for example Holguin, might be opened."

The Cuban tourism minister emphasized that those who travelled to Cuba from Russia "were healthy to fly [there] and stayed healthy when returning."

"Therefore, in case any agreements are reached here, the Russian tour operators, as well as we, will definitely welcome them," he added.