Despite sanctions Cuba now 35th U.S. food market

[Osolomia]

Reuters, 02.17.04

HAVANA (Reuters) - Despite four decades of trade sanctions and increasing White House hostility, Cuba has become the United States's 35th market for food exports, according to a report by a New York-based business group Tuesday.

... The U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, which monitors trade between the two countries, said Cuba imported $256.9 million worth of U.S. agricultural products in 2003.

... American business groups, meanwhile, have been lobbying for the lifting of a travel ban and further relaxing of the embargo. Both chambers of the U.S. Congress last year voted to end travel restrictions, but Republican leadership scuttled the move in conference.

... "While the Bush administration is trying to intensify pressure on Cuba and sever business links with the Castro government, such an attempt is increasingly at odds with the position of the U.S. business community and its allies in Congress," said University of Florida Cuba analyst Paolo Spadoni.

"With Cuba's food purchases from the Unites States up by more than 80 percent in 2003 after an impressive 2002, it is likely that anti-embargo forces will keep pushing for a lifting of trade and travel restrictions with the island," he said.

More...
http://www.forbes.com/business/newswire/2004/02/17/rtr1264091.html

And in the other corner:

Democratic Presidential Candidates on Cuba
http://www.lawg.org/tools/prez-candidates1.htm

[Osolomia]

1. Despite US travel ban: Cuba On the way to a Tourism Recovery

Cuba: On the way to a Tourism Recovery
Feb 17, 04

Cuba has taken once again the way to growth in tourism in 2003, with the arrival of tourists growing by 13% relative to the year 2002, receiving in excess of 1.9 million tourists. Tourist revenues grew by 18.9% in the same time period, although the exact figures are not press time. According to statistical reports, the island received 1,905,682 tourists last year, an increase of 13.02% in comparison to 2002, and 7.39% increase over 2001, when the island received 1,686,162 and 1,774,541 tourists respectively.

The growth of tourist arrivals to Cuba was more than 8% higher than in the Caribbean area in general, according to the information given by the World Tourism Organization (WTO).

One out of nine tourists visiting the Caribbean last year visited Cuba, even with the exclusion of U.S. tourists, which represents nearly one-half of all tourists visiting the Caribbean. Between 2000 and 2002, there was a reduction in the Cuban tourism sector, as a result of the world economic crisis, the impact of the terrorist attacks in the United States, 3 hurricanes hitting the island, and the fortification of the U.S. embargo with Cuba.

12 years ago, Cuba was number 23 in the top 25 tourist destinations in the Caribbean, and today, it occupies the 8th position. At that time, the country had capacity of 12,000 hotel rooms, and has grown to nearly 41,000 today.

Cuba began the year 2004 with 40,963 hotel rooms, distributed in 271 hotels in which 70% are either 4 or 5 star hotels. Out of the nearly 41,000 rooms, 19,960 rooms, or 48%, operate under joint-ventures with hotel chains including Sol Melia, Superclubs, Accor, Blau, Red Deer, Sandals, Iberostar, Occidental Hoteles, LTI, Piñero, Hoteles C, Barceló, Venta Club, Riu,Hotetur and Gret.

More...
http://travelvideo.tv/news/more.php?id=1274_0_1_0_M

[Judi Lynn]

3. It must be very interesting to people in other countries

to go to Cuba and see very few Americans, other than the Cuban "exiles" from Florida and New Jersey!

Very interesting, indeed.

So Cuba's tourism business is rebounding after 9/11 took the wind out of every one's sails in the Caribbean. ALL tourism was grossly decreased, from what I heard.

It's good to see they're bouncing back.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Clearly a struggle between the pResident and the rest of the country. n/t