Cuba. To the closing of the year 2008, more than 40 thousand Russian tourists had visited the different tourist poles of this country, which confirms the interest that prevails in that market for the attractions that offer the Caribbean island, said Oscar Hernández, director of the office of the Department of Tourism of Cuba (MINTUR) in Moscow, in statements for local media and agencies of international press.

Tireless in the search of initiatives to maintain the tendency to the boom of the last period of three years, even in the middle of a world economic crisis that could affect to the sector in 2009, Hernández reported that the 40 thousand Russians that visited the Island in 2008 represent an increment over 10 thousand tourists with respect to the year 2007, season evaluated very favourably.

Upon explaining why the upward trend with a respectable indicator, the official underlines in the first place the traditional sympathy between both countries, the cultural and natural attraction, as well as also the hospitality of the Cubans and the security that Cuba offers.

To those traditional strengths joint other factors, like the special attention that the MINTUR (Ministry of Tourism in Cuba) express to the Russian Federation, concluded the official.