Aruba and Cuba have signed a cooperative agreement focusing
on tourism for the two destinations, including the possibility of a cruise ship
route that links the two countries and others in the southern Caribbean.
The agreement was signed in Havana last week by Rodrigo
Malmierca, Cuba’s minister of foreign trade and foreign investment, and Otmar
Uduber, Aruba’s minister of tourism, transportation and culture.
“Aruba sees Cuba as a new destination, despite its existence
for some time now, and it will soon see organizational changes that will
contribute to making the country a more attractive destination to explore from
the U.S. market,” Uduber said.
The agreement will open up new tourism possibilities for
Aruba, according to Uduber. The focus includes a dual destination program and
the exchange of information on managing cruise facilities, marketing strategies
to attract visitors and the timeshare sector.
The agreement comes on the heels of a similar venture
between Jamaica and Cuba.