MIAMI, United States. – Luis Jiménez, Commercial Vice-president of the Spanish company Enjoy Travel Group, revealed that several of Spain’s most influential influencers arrived in Cuba as part of a week-long tourism promotion visit.
According to statements made by Jiménez to Prensa Latina, the influencers arrived in the island on the inaugural flight Barcelona-Havana, as part of a Fam Trip (a “becoming acquainted” program). Cuban choreographer Roclan, director of the Revolution Dance Company, accompanied the influencers.
According to Enjoy Travel, the trip and the Cuba program arranged for the influencers is a new strategy to promote Cuba as a tourist destination. Jiménez added that it is a strategy aimed at “re-engineering products, never-before experiences and unique adventures,” aimed at promoting Cuba as an art, culture and patrimonial destination.
The influencers, most of them young, have a combined total of 120 million followers on several social network platforms, like Instagram, YouTube and Tik Tok. They are known beyond Spain, especially in Latin American countries, such as Mexico, Argentina and Chile.
Their program in Cuba includes tours of Old Havana, the Morro Castle, the Hotel Nacional, and Varadero, according to Prensa Latina.
Their tour is being backed by Spanish hotel chains with investments in Cuba, such as Iberostar Grand Packard Hotel, the Cuban regime’s favorite for holding events and meetings. The influencers are also sponsored by Meliá, through Meliá International in Varadero; by Canadian hotel chain Blue Diamond’s Royalton Prado; and foreign hotel chains like Aston, together with Cuban agencies Ecotur, Gaviota, Cubatur and Cuba’s Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR, by its Spanish acronym).
Together with the tourism tours, the influencers will receive salsa dance lessons from Roclan; participate in cooking and cocktail contests; and will be instructed on “the beauty and security of the country,” according to Prensa Latina.
The first Fam Trip took off on June 29th on a Barcelona-Havana flight, also bringing promoters and travel agents from the Spanish Travel Agents’ Nero Group, the Team Group from Cataluña, those that deal with accessible tourism, and Italian agencies.
Although Prensa Latina did not reveal the names of the influencers traveling, the official website Cubadebate did report Spanish actress Carlota Boza’s visit to Havana. Boza is known for her role in the series La que se avecina. In her Instagram account, Boza shared images of her riding in a classic Chevrolet, visiting the Yarini restaurant, and riding a skateboard along Paseo del Prado.
The Cuban regime often takes advantage of the popularity of foreign YouTubers and influencers to improve its image and attract tourists, while Cuba’s population suffers the worst economic crisis in decades, the largest migratory exodus in fifty years, and a growing insecurity.
Paradoxically, while the government benefits from the fame of these celebrities, local influencers and You-Tubers like Sulmira Martínez, Hildina and Duanys Moreno are outlawed.
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