AREQUIPA, Peru – A grand LGBTI festival in Cuba is planned for next summer on Cayo Santa María. The event would be the first of its kind in the history of the island and another attempt by the regime to revive the depressed tourism sector.
A report from the La Voz de Galicia newspaper points to the Spanish travel agency Turidove as the organizer of the festival, which will take place between July 31st and August 4th.
“We estimate that around 3,000 people will be traveling from abroad – from various parts of Latin America, but also from Spain – in addition to the Cuban audience,” said Xabier Álvarez Pombo, one of the four owners of the travel agency.
“What we are looking for is an alternative to overcrowded destinations, a very comfortable and completely open destination in the Caribbean environment,” the entrepreneur added.
Named Spartacus, the festival will include a package with four, 5-star hotels, in addition to The One Gallery Beachfront Art Resort, an accommodation that will serve as the headquarters for most of the artistic and cultural programming, which will be managed by Puerto Rican artist Celso González.
According to Álvarez Pombo, the prices for accommodation for a one-week stay on an all-inclusive basis, range from 600 to 800 euros, excluding the air flight.
Additionally, the Turidove team promises an open program with a high musical content, drag shows, painting, sculpture, and photography.
“Although it is a festival for the LGBTQ+ community, it is also aimed at the entire community, inclusive, even designed for families. Furthermore, we are expecting a top-level artist closely tied to the LGBTQ+ community in Latin America. There will be surprises,” emphasized the entrepreneur.
The impression of the Spanish agency is that Cuba is a welcoming space for the LGBTQ+ community.
“It is true that there was a dark period, but many years have passed since it opened up to LGBTQ+ tourism, and today’s Cuba is very respectful of the community,” Álvarez Pombo pointed out.
Regarding Spartacus, the intentions of the company, which has organized a series of highly focused events in Old Havana, is to give the festival continuity and turn it into an exportable brand to the rest of the Caribbean.
On the other hand, the hotels where the first major LGBTI festival in Cuba is planned are owned by Gaviota, the hotel company of the military conglomerate GAESA, and are located in a tourist area that regular Cubans cannot access.
Around the same time of this year’s Spartacus festival, but last year, Cuban Americans with affiliations to the Island’s dictatorship organized the controversial Santa María Music Fest. That event was criticized by activists, musicians, and civil society in general for considering it an insult to all the people who are currently suffering from hunger in Cuba. Furthermore, it stood out for its chaotic organization and poor service, especially towards Cuban nationals who attended.
Sigue nuestro canal de WhatsApp. Recibe la información de CubaNet en tu celular a través de Telegram.
