SAN LUIS POTOSÍ, Mexico. – The Spanish agency Enjoy Travel Group revealed one of its strategies to promote Cuba as a tourist destination amid the sector’s low numbers.
It involves a reality show that will be filmed in Cuba and will feature Spanish actors and singers who will embark on a trip to the island to boost its popularity as a tourist destination.
The controversial agency, which sparked controversy last year by bringing influencers from Spain to the island with the same objective as now, is promoting the show “My First Time,” featuring a “varied cast of artists, content creators, and public figures.”
A total of 22 Spaniards will travel to Cuba in two groups to film the reality show hosted by playwright Jazz Vilá, and clients will have the opportunity to join and interact with them if they choose the packages that include this experience.
Among the participants will be the singer Lolita Flores, and Melani Olivares and Mariano Peña, actors from the comedy series Aída.
Also invited were Naomi Asensi (La isla de las tentaciones, Gran Hermano), Eduardo Navarrete (Maestros de la costura, Master Chef Celebrity), Sensillo (Got Talent, Idol Kids), and Carmen Alcayde (Aquí hay tomate, Gran Hermano VIP, Sálvame).
Divided into two teams, Alpha and Beta, the artists will travel in two groups, one from July 27 to August 3 and the other from August 17 to 24.
As part of the “typical” activities they will engage in upon arriving on the island, they will play baseball as a team, learn to dance salsa, demonstrate their skills in making mojitos and daiquiris, cook traditional dishes, and craft an “authentic Cuban cigar.”
The destination sites will be Havana, the Viñales Valley, and Varadero.
The agency offers three different packages to join this reality show. The first one consists of a seven-day round trip to Havana, with the opportunity to “enjoy an unforgettable night with your favorite artists.” The second one also includes Varadero as a destination, along with the artists.
The third package, “Live Cuba just like an influencer!” is designed exclusively “for the group of influencers and artists who will experience an unparalleled adventure in Cuba” and includes recreational activities within the package.
According to the Enjoy Travel website, if the trip is booked before July 20, the customer will get a free party with the participating influencers. However, there is currently no information about the price.
Last year, a group of influencers, mostly young people, with over 120 million followers on various social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, were also part of an initiative by the regime to promote Cuba as a tourist destination.
The itinerary of their visit to the island included tours of Old Havana, the Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, the Hotel Nacional, and Varadero, according to Prensa Latina.
The regime of the island often takes advantage of the popularity of foreign YouTubers and influencers to improve the country’s image and attract tourists, while the Cuban population suffers the worst economic crisis in decades, the largest migration exodus in half a century, and increasing insecurity. Paradoxically, while the government benefits from the fame of these “celebrities,” local influencers and YouTubers like Sulmira Martínez, Hildina, and Duanys Moreno have been criminalized.
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