Tourism, growing and changing

AP reports that Cuba’s tourism sector performed well in 2011, with visits up seven percent and revenues up 12.8 percent over 2010. 

Part of the story has to do with Cuban tourism, following the 2008 end to the prohibition on Cubans staying in hotels in their own country.  Xinhua reports on how Sol Melia is marketing its hotels to the Cuban public, noting that there were 1.3 million hotel stays (sounds high, doesn’t it?) by Cubans (including Cuban Americans) in Cuban hotels last year. 

The promotion has been going on for some time; see this Granma piece from 2010.  And an item on Cubans in Varadero hotels here.