London, November 4: - Cuba's Minister of Tourism, Juan García Granda, led a high-level delegation at the World Travel Market (WTM) 2025 fair in London, where he reaffirmed the strategic importance of the British market for Cuba as a tourist destination.During his speech, the Minister stressed that, despite the challenges imposed by the blockade on our country and the tourism sector, and despite disinformation campaigns, “the British market has always played a fundamental role for Cuba.” The presence of the Cuban delegation, made up of representatives of national and foreign hotel chains operating on the island, reaffirmed the country's willingness to strengthen ties with partners and tour operators in the United Kingdom.
The Minister pointed out that international perceptions of Cuba are influenced by a “media war that has been waged to complement the blockade,” and that participation in the WTM constitutes an act of active presence and reaffirmation of the destination: “Returning to the fair means saying: we are here, we are still the same, showing what we have and working to encourage tourism.”
García Granda stressed that the lack of a direct flight between London and Havana continues to be the main obstacle to increasing visitor numbers. However, he reported that 6,000 British tourists traveled to Cuba last year through specialized agencies, an indicator of sustained interest in the destination.
Cuba's participation in WTM 2025 generated extensive coverage in international media outlets such as the BBC, AFP, and Travel Weekly, confirming interest in Cuba's potential as a tourist destination. It was an opportunity to explain and inform the British press and other media agencies about our Cuban government's efforts to care for travelers and tourists who were in Cuba during Hurricane Melissa.