San Cristóbal Travel Agency celebrates 30 years promoting Cuban cultural heritage

By Daily Pérez Guillén

San Cristóbal Travel Agency, along with its staff and network of collaborators, celebrated its 30th anniversary, as an initiative founded under the guidance of Havana City Historian, Dr. Eusebio Leal Spengler.

From the Cabaret Parisien at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, its current Director, Antonio Guerrero, offered a heartfelt tribute to the individuals who, over the past three decades, have made the agency stand out through their contributions to tourism and the preservation of Cuba’s cultural heritage.

The Hero of the Republic of Cuba also recounted the origins of the organization, going back to its beginnings. “I’ve often thought about 1995, the year the Agency was established and registered on November 30. But I’ve also thought about Eusebio in 1995,” he remarked, recalling the work that began then. He emphasized that the fundamental impetus and vision came from Leal, whom he considered the undisputed guide and creator of the project. “We continue that story with great enthusiasm, deep roots, and a profound sense of affection and duty toward Eusebio Leal. That is the essence of San Cristóbal,” he stressed.

The director underscored the constant support of the Office of the Havana City Historian, which makes “our adventure” possible, and expressed his gratitude for the work of all its departments that keep the museums and streets of the capital’s Historic Center alive.

Guerrero extended his recognition to the human pillars of San Cristóbal, especially to all the founders and workers who “brought it forward.” He also dedicated a moment to strategic partners: “I’m talking about hotel chains, tour operators, destination management companies, people we call at the last minute… we’ve tried to gather at least some representatives and acknowledge them over these 30 years.”

Looking to the future, Antonio Guerrero emphasized renewal and the potential of destination management companies. “Today, we are an agency undergoing a truly extraordinary revival,” he noted, highlighting the crucial role of young people. “This group has been instrumental and we know they are eager to continue working, moving forward and sustaining this agency over the next 30 years.”

With a call to “not give up and to make our tourism progress,” Guerrero concluded.

In her opening remarks, Magda Resik, director of Communications for the Office of the Havana City Historian, recalled Leal’s legacy and stated that the travel agency is the emblem of his enduring passion for guiding others, for showing them the beauty, charm, and cultural richness of Cuba, “which is undoubtedly what he wanted and what this team has been defending for three decades, sometimes in very difficult times for tour operators, but always creatively seeking ways to continue working on tourism promotion and generating resources for the restoration of Old Havana. If there is one beautiful aspect to San Cristóbal’s work, it is that it also sustains the dream of this project,” she emphasized.

Headquartered in Old Havana, the San Cristóbal Travel Agency specializes in historical and heritage tourism, in line with the work of the Havana City Historian’s Office, which serves as the institution’s link to the world, interpreting the wonders of Cuba for both foreign and domestic visitors.

Currently, it has a presence in several locations in the Cuban capital, including a sales office in the Miramar Business Center, and in the provinces of Villa Clara and Camagüey. Among its main offers are specialized tours to essential sites in the island’s heritage cities. On its website, www.viajessancristobal.com, interested users can find San Cristóbal’s product portfolio, which includes guided tours of the National Capitol Building, the Casa Leal Route, Martí’s Havana, and accessible tourism excursions—programs for people with specific mobility, vision, hearing, and cognitive needs, known as “Camino Leal” and “La Cuna de la Ciudad.”

In addition, it is possible to book themed excursions such as the Colonial, Sacred Heritage and Popular Religiosity, Art and Color, Heritage Rehabilitation and Social Work, Antemural and Key to the New World, and The Whole City tours, among others.