.HAVANA— FITCUBA (Feria Internacional de Turismo) 2023 recently took place in Havana, with the main event running from May 1-5 and San Carlos de la Cabana fortress acting as home for the opening ceremony and trade floor.

FITCUBA attendees heard what’s new in Cuba, while the rich culture and colourful heritage of Havana were showcased to great effect.

Canada accounted for 51% of visitors to Cuba this past winter, and at FITCUBA, tourism executives said Canada is Cuba’s top priority. Some 80% of the arrivals seen in 2019 were achieved, with an increase in flights believed to be the key to matching that year’s numbers.

Another goal to increase numbers is to make the beautiful and historic city of Trinidad more attractive to Canadian travellers. Stay tuned – there was discussion of a Canada-only summit to be held in October.

FITCUBA also highlighted Cuba’s cultural offering. Cuba has 340 museums, with 77 in Havana alone. National heritage collections and patriotic collections portraying wars of independence are especially popular. The categories of museums are vast and include general, history, art, archaeological, science & technology, natural history, eco-museums, anthropological, heritage and speciality museums, such as theme museums with a focus on author Ernest Hemingway, who famously lived in Cuba in his later years. More than 100 museums have been declared national monuments, in some cases for the buildings that they’re held within, and many museums are located within World Heritage Sites.

One very special attraction in Havana that visitors should definitely check out is Fábrica de Arte Cubano, or Fábrica, as locals call it. It’s a unique and sprawling facility appropriate for all ages and nationalities that serves as an art gallery and nightclub. The diverse spaces include a cafe, nightclub, concert venue, bar, cinema, restaurant and art gallery. One could explore all evening and still not cover every space at this can’t miss venue, which was declared ‘One of the World’s 100 Greatest Places’ by Time Magazine in 2019.

Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, which launched new colours and a new logo earlier this year, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in Cuba. The pandemic gave the brand a chance to renovate its properties on the island. Those looking for sun can stay with Iberostar in Varadero and then stay with them again in Havana for some city time. Its centrally located Havana accommodations include the Iberostar Grand Packard and Iberostar Parque Central. The company has 18 hotels total in Cuba.

Journalists who attended FITCUBA 2023 stayed at Hotel Gran Muthu Habana, a five-star MGM Muthu Hotel located near Fifth Avenue.

For more information about travel to Cuba, visit GoCuba.ca.