FitCuba2025 exceeded expectations

Cuban Minister of Tourism, Juan Carlos García Granda, exchanges with the press moments before closing FitCuba2025.

By Daily Pérez Guillén

The 44th edition of the International Tourism Fair of Cuba in 2026 will be dedicated to Canada, the sun and beach product, and will be hosted by Varadero, Cuba’s largest beach resort. This was announced by Cuban Minister of Tourism Juan Carlos García Granda at the closing ceremony of the most important professional event for the sector.

Moments before the closing ceremony, the minister spoke to the press and noted that FitCuba2025 exceeded expectations from the organizational and participational point of view, since more than 1,500 foreign professionals from 58 countries, including travel agencies and press, attended.

“More than 2,573 national professionals participated in this fair, representing both the state and non-state sectors,” and, “integrated everyone as part of the Cuban tourism product, showing everything we have to offer,” he stated.

The fair also exceeded our expectations because of tour operators’ comments on the quality of service and our performance this winter, García Granda added.

“We are hopeful because the actions taken, such as the financing for suppliers, will allow us to recover, especially next winter, with the increase of visitors,” he noted.

At the opening session, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz announced a “restructuring” in the sector, including from the regulatory point of view. García Granda commented that, “These actions are part of a path that is already yielding results. We are granting more powers to businesspeople, improving their competitiveness and allowing them to manage their income with greater flexibility. We have also incorporated the leasing of hotel facilities, which will have a positive impact,” he explained.

He noted that, “We are in a process of transformation, eliminating higher structures that limited management at the base,” and added that, “This applies especially in areas such as foreign investment, where we are seeking greater autonomy.”

Regarding the Canadian market, the main source of tourists to Cuba in the last 30 years, the minister described it as, “one of the most grateful and loyal,” market segments.

“It is very difficult for those people to be manipulated by the press, because we have many repeat Canadians, and many Canadians that I like to say have more friends in Cuba than in Canada itself. And therefore they know perfectly well our reality and all the good and bad things we have,” he stressed.

From April 30 through May 3, FitCuba2025 brought together representatives of airlines, tour operators, travel agencies, hotel chains, carriers and suppliers, as well as professionals of the sector, in a space in Havana dedicated to the updating and promotion of tourism on the island.