During the Pandemic, Cuba Seeks Foreign Visitors

Cuba wants more foreign visitors to come to the Communist country.

The government opened beach resorts² in November in an effort to help part of the economy that has been hurt by the spread of the coronavirus.

Francisco Duran of the Ministry³ of Public Health said recently that around 1,000 visitors were entering Cuba daily. Most of them were going to resorts where COVID-19 policies have been effective. But a small number of visitors were going to the Cuban capital, some after visiting the beach.

Cuba, like other Caribbean countries, depends heavily on foreign visitors, or tourists. Tourism represented about 10 percent of Cuba's economy in 2019. But last year, the economy shrank⁴ by 11 percent.

Luis Enrique Gonzalez runs a private eatery in Havana. "A month ago there were no foreign tourists to be seen," he said as a few guests ate at outdoor tables. Now, some Europeans, Canadians and Latin⁵ Americans have appeared, but only a few hotels are open.

"Little by little there is more movement and that's a start," Gonzalez said of the capital, which just a year ago had many tourists walking its streets.

Cuba's daily infection numbers remain low in comparison⁶ to other nearby countries. Cuban officials say there have been just 148 deaths from COVID-19, the disease⁷ caused by the coronavirus.

But the infection numbers have increased sharply⁸ over the past month. Flights from the United States and a few other countries were reduced as of the first of the year.

The Communist government reported that about one million tourists visited last year. It wants to increase that by 100 percent in 2021. Still, those numbers are far below the more than four million arrivals in 2019.

Visitors get tests for the coronavirus at the airport and again in five days unless they are staying at a hotel, where they are watched by a medical team. Beginning on January 10, visitors will need to have received a PCR test, a kind of coronavirus test, within 72 hours of their arrival.

Travelers staying at hotels in cities are expected to stay inside until the airport test gives a negative result. If staying in private homes, visitors must remain inside until getting the five-day test's result.

Visitors to some areas can visit the beaches and restaurants as long as they stay away from the local community.

"Who is going to come to Cuba to be shut up in a house," said Norma Hernandez, who rents out rooms in Havana.

Tour guide Carlos Diaz is happy to have some work. He said he was showing 38 German visitors around the old town recently.

"The tourists are coming back bit by bit," he said.

Two British couples said they, like the Germans, had been staying at Varadero beach. They noted⁹ the lack of tourists but praised the buildings and sense of safety.

"We will be back when everything is back to normal," Tony Kelly said.

Words in This Story

resort¹ – n. a place where people go for vacations

quarantine – n. the period of time during which a person or animal that has a disease or that might have a disease is kept away from others to prevent the disease from spreading

negative – adj. not showing the presence¹⁰ of germs¹¹ or viruses

rent – v. to allow someone to use (something) in return for payment¹²

couple – n. two people who are married or who have a romantic relationship

1 resort   

n.凭借，手段，常去之地，胜地；vi.求助，诉诸，采取（某种手段等），常去

参考例句：

• He couldn't have passed the exam without resort to cheating.他要不是靠作弊是通不过这次考试的。
• Beidaihe is noted for its summer resort.北戴河以避暑胜地而著称。

2 resorts   

n.求助，凭借，诉诸( resort的名词复数 )；求助[凭借]的对象；采用的办法；度假胜地v.求助于或诉诸某事物，采取某手段或方法应急或作为对策( resort的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Ferry boats ply regularly between all the resorts on the lake. 渡船定时往返于湖的各旅游景点。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other resorts could benefit from the spillover of tourists. 其他度假胜地可以从游客带来的影响中间受益。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 shrank   

动词shrink的过去式

参考例句：

• My sweater shrank in the wash. 我的毛衣缩水了。
• The blackman shrank from any direct participation in politics. 这位黑人回避直接插足政治。

5 Latin   

adj.拉丁的，拉丁语的，拉丁人的；n.拉丁语

参考例句：

• She learned Latin without a master.她无师自通学会了拉丁语。
• Please use only Latin characters.请仅使用拉丁文字符。

6 comparison   

n.比较，对照；比拟，比喻

参考例句：

• They make a comparison of New York to a beehive.他们把纽约比作一个蜂巢。
• This dress is really cheaper by comparison.比较起来，这件衣服确实便宜。

7 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

8 sharply   

adj.锐利地，急速；adv.严厉地，鲜明地

参考例句：

• The plane dived sharply and rose again.飞机猛然俯冲而后又拉了起来。
• Demand for personal computers has risen sharply.对个人电脑的需求急剧增长。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 presence   

n.出席；到场；存在

参考例句：

• Her presence lent an air of respectability to the occasion.她的到场使那种场合增添了崇高的气氛。
• His presence is indicative of his willingness to help.他的出席表示他愿意帮忙。

11 germs   

n.微生物( germ的名词复数 )；病菌；起源；发端

参考例句：

• Dirty hands can be a breeding ground for germs. 脏手会滋生病菌。
• The air is full of millions of invisible germs. 空气中充满了许多看不见的细菌。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 payment   

n.付款，支付，偿还，偿还，报应

参考例句：

• I gave ten pounds in payment for the goods I bought.我买那些东西付了10英镑。
• This last payment will wipe out your debt to me.这最后一笔付款将了结你欠我的债务。