5-02-08, 9:20 am

One million tourists visited Cuba in the first quarter of 2008, and did so in record time, 22 days earlier than in 2007, officials announced at a celebration on Tuesday at the Compay Segundo Salon in the Hotel Nacional.

María Elena López, deputy minister of tourism, explained that at the close of the first quarter in 2008, the number of arriving tourists had increased by 15% compared to the same period in 2007.

López praised the thousands of Cuban workers who are raising the standards of the country’s tourist project, which enjoys stability in the regional market, and which has seen over two million tourists annually for four consecutive years.

The tourism industry in Cuba stands out for the international fairs that are organized annually, and more than 1,000 participants from other countries have registered for this year’s edition, dedicated to culture/tourism integration. The country of honor is Italy.

At the event celebrating the record 1 million, the choir Entrevoces, conducted by Digna Guerra, performed emblematic Cuban numbers like 'Chan-Chan,' by Compay Segundo and 'De qué manera quererte,' by Luis Ríos.

Translated by Granma International