Cuba Opens Tourism Sector to Private Initiatives EFE
go to original October 12, 2013

Visit Cuba (PRIDESOFHAITI)

HAVANA - Cuba's state-owned travel agencies and tourist entities will be able to book private lodgings and restaurants, the government said this week.

In a resolution published in the Official Gazette, the Tourism Ministry gives the green light for individuals who rent out homes and rooms or operate restaurants, known as "paladares," to offer their services to the state tourism sector.

In like manner, tourist agencies and entities will be able to book the services of private individuals or the self-employed to organize excursions for groups of visitors such as rides on horseback, in carriages or in classic or antique automobiles that are still in wide use on the island.

The tourist sector will pay for these services in convertible pesos, or CUCs, the value of which is maintained at parity with the U.S. dollar.

This new ruling is part of the set of reforms undertaken by the government of President Raul Castro to "update" the communist island's economic model.

Read the rest at La Prensa

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