Cuban Adventures Newsletter

Responsible Tourism Award Nominations

Responsible Tourism Award 2009

Cuban Adventures has been long listed for 2 awards in the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2009. The Responsible Tourism Awards are the most prestigious of their kind in the world. This year the Awards have attracted nominations for a record number of almost 600 tourism organisations.

We are long listed in the categories of:

  • BEST TOUR OPERATOR FOR CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT - for a tour operator which creates positive engagement with the culture and traditions of the local community or indigenous people.
  • BEST FOR CONSERVATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE - for a tourism organisation or initiative working to protect and promote cultural heritage.

To have a chance of winning one of these awards we now need people to volunteer as referees. If you are impressed with our efforts in responsible tourism and would like to be a referee for us,please contact John at cuban.adventures@gmail.com

New Tours!

We have added some new tours to our program for 2010:

  • 8 day tour of Western Cuba - A relaxing week-long tour offering a taste of Cuba's famous white-sand beaches and spectacular scenery through the “Garden Province” of Cuba - Pinar del Rio. Features homestay in Viñales and remote stay in the Maria la Gorda Biosphere Reserve. Sunday departures.
Map for 8 Day Original Tour

Click here to see all the tours we offer.

Map 20 Day Complete Tour

Adios to “News reel”

Electronic Ticker on the US Special Interests building in Havana

The US has decided to stop displaying the giant news-style ticker which displayed anti-Castro Government messages on the outside of its diplomatic building in Havana. The building is a symbolic focal point for sour US-Cuba relations and fronts onto the plaza known in Cuba as the Tribunalor the “Jose Marti Anit-Imperialist Plaza”. The electronic ticker was erected in 2006 and promted the Cuban Government to partially block the display with a wall of flags. The number and design of the flags were to memorialize Cuban victims of terrorism, especially the 73 people who died in the 1976 bombing of a Cuban passenger airliner. When the flags were first hoisted in early February 2006, the alleged mastermind of this attack, Luis Posada Carriles, was under U.S. custody for illegal immigration to the U.S. As of today, Carriles does not face any charges related to terrorism, despite ties between him and acts like the 1976 bombing. Also of note is Carriles' former relationship and employment with the CIA (Source: Wikipedia).

Barack Obama's government decided to stop the flow of neon propaganda on the exterior of the American Interest Section. Since coming to office, the US President has extended an olive branch to the communist country. Earlier this year Mr Obama gave the go-ahead for US telecommunications companies to do business with Cuba. He has also eased travel and financial barriers for Americans with family on the island nation. Source - Sky News.

Raul Castro's Revolution Day Speech

Cuba's Presindet Raul Castro

In a speech marking Cuba's Revolution Day - July 26, Cuba’s president said the island can’t pin all of its problems on Washington’s 47-year-old trade embargo. He implored Cubans to take better advantage of a government program begun last year to turn unused state land over to private farmers. He confirmed that the global economic crisis means tougher times ahead for Cuba, but that the country has no one to blame but itself for poor farm production that leads to shortages of fruits, vegetables, and other basics. Castro called agricultural production Cuba’s top priority and a matter of national security. Unlike during his past two holiday speeches, Castro did not address the crowd with a sculpture or banner of the face of his brother, Fidel, nearby. Source: Globe Newspaper Company.

Latest Cuba Tour Testimonial

Heidi Feenstra - Canada

Heidi Feenstra, Canada - 15 day Cuban Adventure

I had TONS of fun on this tour and the best part was getting to know Cuban locals in Trinidad as well as our guide Roger and our interpreter (also called Roger!) being Cubans themselves. I learned a lot of invaluable things and I can say this is one of the most unforgettable experience (I have traveled quite a bit and it is always different but this trip was a bit more personal with the locals and homestay. As well as Roger the tour guide was EXCELLENT. He was a quick learner as to how to communicate with us and it made the trip a lot more fun with his full head on involvement (I have been on different tours in the past where tour guides were not nearly as exciting or approachable). Roger has a good head on his shoulders and handled everything thrown into his way very well. I highly recommend him to be involved in any other deaf - related tours if any in the future as his communication skills is commendable and believe me, it does make all of the difference to the experience. Both Rogers worked very hard on the trip and I want their hard work to be recognized.

Finally

Thanks for your support!

Kind regards John Ahrens - Manager Big Planet Adventures

Back to Top