Cuba's Islazul hotel chain that began in 1994 as a budget, extra-hotel network company, had a 12.3% growth last year (2009) and now dedicates itself to lodging and circuit modal cities.
Islazul's commercial director Milagros Caņizo told Cubaplus that in 2006 the chain began devoting most of its efforts toward hotel infrastructure, developing 80 one to three star villas, aparthotels and houses totalling 10,000 rooms in all Cuba.
Last year, Islazul welcomed 12.3% more foreign tourists than in 2008 with Canada still scoring as the # 1 market for Islazul, with a 10% increase in 2009.
These achievements, Caņizo explained, were largely due to consolidation of operations with Canadian tour operators, especially for Varadero and Holguin, as well as for longer stays, particularly at the Varadero resort.
Another success factor was the reopening of the Costa Morena Hotel in eastern Santiago de Cuba.
Besides Canada, some other principals helped Islazul achieve overall positive figures, among them Italy, the result of Presstours
