Virus-hit tourist resort in Cuba an empty paradise

Cuba's pristine beaches are a paradise lost for sun seeking tourists in times of COVID-19.

fine sand, sun, fanning palm trees, delightful sea breeze all are still here but re was one to enjoy it.

most important tourist center in Cuba, and one of most famous in Caribbean, remained deserted last week.

Varadero, with its small neighboring town of 6,000 inhabitants, its 22 kilometers of beaches and 60 hotels along coast, had, until arrival of new coronavirus, received up to 30,000 tourists a day.

One year of worldwide pandemic has devastated tourism industry here as elsewhere, striking at heart of Cuban finances which are experiencing a domi effect due to loss of income and jobs.

Locals are experiencing real anguish at seeing streets deserted, craft markets empty and restaurants and bars with curtains drawn in this resort town that w awaits for better days to come.

In 2019 Cuba's Ministry of Tourism reported its first decline in tourism with island welcoming 9% fewer tourists than in 2018.

figure reflected decline caused by tightening of United States sanctions against island and bankruptcy n of a key partner, British tour operator Thomas Cook.

But in 2020 Caribbean nation had its worst year on record welcoming just one million tourists, mostly during year's first quarter, before COVID-19 pandemic closed local airports on island as well as those of visiting countries.

Varadero was among areas most affected by this precipitous downturn, with 60 hotels employing workers from neighbouring towns depending on tourism income.

In 2019, Varadero received one and a half million visitors; in 2020 t even one million people graced its white beaches.

"re has been an impact," José Antonio Ramírez, 43-year-old general director of Meliá International, of Mexican nationality, ackwledged to AP. "It is t what we expected in our projections, but we see ourselves with an open, functional hotel, giving our customers satisfaction up to w ... and sending mess that tourism can be done despite pandemic."

hotel has had to adapt to sanitary standards, its employees wearing facemasks and everything is disinfected every so often. At same time, social distancing between visitors is imposed.

At full capacity, Meliá International employs a thousand employees in Cuba.  Last week re were only about 190 who served 121 guests, most of m from a flight from Germany.

According to tourism officials, last week Varadero had an 8% occupancy rate and a good part of many months prior without visitors.

Local administrators have taken opportunity to improve some of local infrastructure - a boulevard, underground sew and electrical networks - and in hotels maintenance, as well as finishing construction of rooms to expand availability.

But progsis for this industry does t look immediately favorable, even under premise of massive vaccination. Cuba is only Latin American nation that has two of its own antigenic products at end of ir clinical trials.

Cuba must w attempt to bring back tourism as it continues to face pandemic and recover business lost by cancellation of operating cruise ships because of pandemic.