Tourism remains the main driver of the Cuban economy, says the new president.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel reiterated on Monday (2), in Havana, that tourism is a priority for the development of Granma Island.

According to a report in the Granma newspaper, the Cuban president led a meeting on Friday (June 29) of the government commission tasked two years ago with checking progress in the sector, a meeting in which the head of state called for strengthening the areas that ensure the guarantees of the so-called locomotive of the Cuban economy.

In this regard, Canel indicated to tourism-related organizations that they should organize themselves to meet the high demands and needs of the sector.

Díaz-Canel mentioned the role of sectors such as agriculture, renewable energy sources and new technologies, and warned that 'many products that could be produced in the country are still being imported'.

According to the president, the island has made impressive progress in tourism, considering that in the 90s there were only 18 hotel apartments, while currently there are around 70.

The Cuban president highlighted at the meeting that Cuba is a popular destination worldwide, thanks to qualities such as comfortable hotels, beautiful beaches and landscapes, and public safety.

During the meeting, several ministers presented the situation in their respective areas in light of tourism development on the island, interventions related to hotel construction, visitor services at airports, and access to new technologies, among other topics.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Alexis Trujillo, reported that Cuba closed 2017 with almost four million and 700 thousand tourists, an increase of 16 percent compared to 2016.

However, it noted that up to May 31 of this year, 2.155.145 visitors had arrived in the country, 93 percent of those who had arrived up to the same date in 2017.

Trujillo informed the deputies of the 9th Legislature of Parliament that tourism faces challenges such as the escalation of hostility against Cuba by US President Donald Trump and his commitment to intensifying the economic, commercial and financial blockade that has been in place for almost 60 years.

He also warned that despite the rapid recovery from the damage caused by Hurricane Irma, which struck the country last September, smear campaigns continue to have an impact.

The enemies of the Revolution intend to create a negative image of the Cuban tourism market.