Cuba turns to ecotourism to boost economy

Americas Now

Cuba turns to ecotourism to boost economy

Tourism is one of Cuba’s major industries, earning the country almost $3 billion a year in foreign currency. But with the United States continuing to ban its citizens from taking vacations to the island, growth has been slow. As our correspondent in Cuba, Michael Voss reports, the country is trying to attract a broader range of visitors, especially those interested in ecotourism.

The strategic importance of tourism is emphasized by falling oil prices, and their direct impact on Venezuela’s aid to Cuba, close to 3.4 billion dollars a year. Cuba has only one other main source of foreign income: money sent from Cuban exiles in the U.S., an estimated $3 billion a year.

Cuba turns to ecotourism to boost economy

Tourism is one of Cuba’s major industries, earning the country almost two billion dollars a year in foreign currency. But with the United States continuing to ban its citizens from taking vacations to the island, growth has been slow.