Russian tourist arrivals in Cuba grow 3.5 times in 2023

MOSCOW. Nov 9 (Interfax) - A record number of Russian tourists may visit Cuba in 2023, as tourist arrivals grew 3.5 times in January-October, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) said, citing the Cuban embassy in Moscow.

"Given current air traffic and the occupancy of flights from Russia to Cuba, the record from the pre-pandemic year 2019, when almost 178,000 Russians visited the country, may be updated in the first half of December. According to forecasts from the Cuban side, Russian tourist arrivals may top 180,000 in 2023. A total of 146,300 Russian tourists visited the island in January-October, which is almost 3.5 times more than in the corresponding period of 2022 (42,600)," the statement said.

Russia ranks third by the number of inbound tourists, after Canada and the United States, in Cuba, ATOR said.

"There will be direct flights to Cuba from both Moscow and St. Petersburg in the winter season of 2023-2024. The Nordwind airline begins flights from Pulkovo to Cayo Coco on December 31. There will be one flight per ten or 11 days until the end of April 2024," it said.