Hola Sun has always prioritized its partnership with travel advisors. In this edition of Take 5, Hugo Rocha, Sales Director for Hola Sun shares some of the feedback he’s hearing from agents about partner OWG’s Cuba flights and Hola Sun’s recent eastern Cuba fam, plus highlights from the coming 2022-23 winter season.

What are some exciting products being offered by Hola Sun this winter?

“We are pleased to mention our newest destination, Cayo Paredon, this beautiful tiny island of only 8.7 km is located in the King’s Gardens archipelago (Jardines del Rey in Spanish).

“This little paradise is located north of the largest island of the archipelago, Cayo Romano, in the province of Camagüey and it is only about 30 km away from Cayo Coco (CCC) International airport.

“We are offering the Grand Aston Paredon which is a lovely 5-star property located directly on the Cayo Paredon beach.

“There are some other new Grand Aston properties which we are positive will wow our Canadian travellers, like Grand Aston Varadero, Grand Aston La Habana and Grand Hotel Bristol La Habana.

“These are just a few of the many new exciting hotel lineups we have available. Agents can check out our website for more information, at https://www.holasunholidays.ca/. We are also very excited about our partnership with OWG.”

What are travel agents saying about flights on OWG to Cuba with Hola Sun?

“The feedback has been nothing but positive. The agents have been talking about the fact that there are free meals on every flight. And not just that, but the variety of meals offered and how great the meals are.

“The service is also good and OWG has convenient flight times. Agents are choosing to book Cuba with Hola Sun instead of other competitors because of the flight times and the flights have been on time as well. So we are very pleased with what we have been hearing.”

Hola Sun hosted a FAM to Eastern Cuba in November. What’s the feedback from the agents?

“The FAM was an absolute success. The agents were smiling ear to ear throughout the FAM.

“We spent time in the beautiful province of Holguin, did a Holguin city tour, then spent one night in Santiago de Cuba. The atmosphere, the people, the culture, the welcome we got was unforgettable.

“For most of the FAM we stayed at Gran Muthu Almirante, a fairly new property located directly on Guardalavaca beach. The agents were so impressed with this hotel. It offers exceptional services and the hotel itself is just lovely, and well kept. The agents said that they are confident in promoting this hotel.

“The excursions offered on the FAM showed that Cuba has a diversity of experiences to offer, such as visiting Morro Castle in Santiago de Cuba, the catamaran trip to Cayo Saetia, visiting the city of Gibara, and so much more.

“There were actually three catamaran trips on this FAM and the company we used was Marlin and the agents were very pleased with the experience and the service from Marlin. The agents said that Holguin is also a true gem of Cuba and worth the visit, and Santiago de Cuba is just an amazing city full of life and culture!”

What is Hola Sun doing to increase travel to Cuba?

“We are definitely trying to ensure we have competitive prices; we are offering great deals and agents can frequently check our deals page: https://www.holasunholidays.ca/deals/.

“We also try to stay connected with our faithful agents to ensure we answer any questions they have to make it easier for them to sell our products to their clients. Our reservation agents are constantly offering exceptional customer service and being a source of product knowledge for Cuba.

“We also actively post updates, deals and announcements on our social media platform so we do encourage agents to connect with us and it is also a way that we can hear from our agents as well.”

Why does Cuba remain one of the top vacation spots for Canadians?

“Cuba remains a top destination for Canadians because of what it has to offer. Cuba offers competitive prices. It offers a variety of resorts to meet different needs, from high-end clients to budget clients. It offers exceptional beaches, beautiful landscapes, amazing culture.

“Canadians are genuinely fascinated with the Cuban culture. Cuba also offers a safe vacation; Canadians can explore the island safely. Many adventures await, it’s not just the beaches but so much more. For example, on the island of Cayo Saetia, clients can do a jeep safari tour, which is an amazing experience. Cuba has so much to offer and so much to explore and the Cuban people are always ready to host our Canadian travellers.”