{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-572d6a42.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-f4d0de30.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='CUBA: TOURISM INDUSTRY SURGES AHEAD TO PROVIDE HARD CURRENCY' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bd7bd8eafeecae1347cd' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bd7bd8eafeecae1347cd' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nCUBA: TOURISM INDUSTRY SURGES AHEAD TO PROVIDE HARD CURRENCY\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eSpanish/Nat Despite the tightening of U-S sanctions against Cuba, its tourism industry has  managed to surge ahead.More than a (m) million tourists are expected to choose the island as their holiday  destination this year.The trend...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eSpanish/Nat \u003cbr/\u003eDespite the tightening of U-S sanctions against Cuba, its tourism industry has  managed to surge ahead.\u003cbr/\u003eMore than a (m) million tourists are expected to choose the island as their holiday  destination this year.\u003cbr/\u003eThe trend indicates tourism may very well become the top industry to provide much- needed hard currency to Cuba.\u003cbr/\u003eThe resort of Varadero on the northern coast of Cuba has provided an economic lifeline  for the island.\u003cbr/\u003eIt is the number one tourist destination in Cuba and the government is making sure it  does not lose its appeal.\u003cbr/\u003eLast December, the National Assembly declared Varadero a special municipality, giving  it certain privileges including certain economic and investment laws specific to the area.\u003cbr/\u003eWith over eight-thousand rooms available throughout the small peninsula, Varadero is  the perfect holiday destination for tourists.\u003cbr/\u003eEverything is available for foreign tourists -- from water sports, and exotic locations, to  drinks and liquor banned in the rest of Cuba.\u003cbr/\u003eThe industry is booming.\u003cbr/\u003eSome one (m) million tourists are expected this year compared to 740-thousand last  year.\u003cbr/\u003eOfficials say tourism is the country's top industry, serving as a catalyst for the rise of  other profitable economic activities.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (Spanish)\u003cbr/\u003eIn general terms at the end of 1996, tourism would be the number one industry in terms  of hard currency in Cuba. Tourism has a multiplying factor, that is to say that it is an  industry which mobilises the other industries and that's why a large number of  productive activities at the national level have increased since tourism developed.\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Mario Soris Monte, Subdirector of Cubanacan group\u003cbr/\u003eVaradero is aggressively expanding.\u003cbr/\u003eNew hotels are now under construction which will provide over 23-thousand rooms.\u003cbr/\u003eAnd nothing is stopping foreign investors... not even the Helms-Burton Act.\u003cbr/\u003eThat law bans foreign companies from investing in property seized from American  citizens during Fidel Castro's regime.\u003cbr/\u003eIt was approved by the U-S Congress in March after Cuban MiG fighters shot down two  U-S civilian planes from a Miami-based exile group.\u003cbr/\u003eOfficials say the Helms Burton Act has had little effect on tourism.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (Spanish)\u003cbr/\u003eInvestment has continued at a good rhythm and we haven't really been affected in that  sense. But we cannot overlook that the Helms-Burton law has had some repercussions  especially since it has cast doubts, or it has created a type of intimidation in groups of  potential investors which had planned or at least had considered the possibility of  investing.\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Mario Soris Monte, Hotel Entrepreneur (Subdirector of Cubanacan  group)\u003cbr/\u003eThe Helms-Burton Act, the 33-year-old embargo and the uncertainty of a cut down in  foreign investment does not bother tourists who flock to the Caribbean island.\u003cbr/\u003eThey say they come to enjoy a superb service characteristic of the world's best resorts.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (Spanish)\u003cbr/\u003eI've been coming here for years and I can see that it (tourism) has grown both in quality  and quantity, and I think the future prospectives are good.\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Argentine tourist\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (Spanish)\u003cbr/\u003eIt's an excellent place for the development of tourism. The infrastructure is excellent and  its the appropriate place to welcome tourists from around the world.\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Colombian tourist\u003cbr/\u003eBut most vacation spots are closed for Cubans living in the island.\u003cbr/\u003eThe government restricts locals from going to hotels and other tourist spots unless they  are employees.\u003cbr/\u003eFor many this is another way for the government to keep control over the people and the  economy.\u003cbr/\u003eThose foreign investors already reaping profits from the island's booming tourist industry  insist regardless of the embargo and the Helms-Burton Act, they are unlikely to take a  step backwards.\u003cbr/\u003eThat is good news both for foreign tourists and the government which has seen the  Cuban economy growing by more than five percent this year.\u003cbr/\u003eMost of this growth has been the result of the increasing amount of tourists flooding to  the island-- a trend the Cuban government is willing to continue even if it means  extending special privileges to investors.\u003cbr/\u003eVaradero, Cuba shot recently\u003cbr/\u003e1. Pan across hotel\u003cbr/\u003e2. Wide shot hotel pool side\u003cbr/\u003e3. Man scuba diving in pool\u003cbr/\u003e5. Wide shot people scuba diving\u003cbr/\u003e6. Tight shot lifeguard\u003cbr/\u003e7. Hotel bar-- pan to people at tables\u003cbr/\u003e8. Various of bottles of liquor\u003cbr/\u003e9. Various of hotel staff dancing and playing percussion at hotel lobby\u003cbr/\u003e10. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish), Mario Soris Monte\u003cbr/\u003e11. Various of hotels in construction\u003cbr/\u003e12. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish), Soris Monte\u003cbr/\u003e13. Hotel guest arriving \u003cbr/\u003e14. Buffet bar\u003cbr/\u003e15. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish), Argentine tourist\u003cbr/\u003e16. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish), Colombian tourist\u003cbr/\u003e17. Hotel sign reading: \"Private club for registered guests only\"\u003cbr/\u003e18. Various file of farmers' market\u003cbr/\u003e19. Hotel bungalows\u003cbr/\u003e20. Staff and two tourists\u003cbr/\u003e21. Two of chef\u003cbr/\u003e22. Exterior hotel\u003cbr/\u003e23. Birds flying over ocean\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eCurator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan class=\"star-rating\" aria-label=\"3.5 out of 5 stars\" role=\"img\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci 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class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eDate\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e1996\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-solid fa-language'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eAudiences\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?audience_ids%5B%5D=371079\u0026amp;grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\"\u003eFor Teacher Use\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\u003cdd class=\"text-muted\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-lock mr5\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e2 more...\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='concepts-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' 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