Weddings: Innovation, romance and opportunities for Cuban tourism
The Cubatur Travel Agency is organizing EXPOBODAS to promote Cuba as a wedding destination.
Posted by Sol de Cuba, 05/09/2025
Expobodas 2025, an event that turns the Hotel Nacional de Cuba into the epicenter of romantic tourism and destination weddings, kicked off its second edition on September 4. Organized by the Cubatur Travel Agency to promote the archipelago as a wedding destination, the event will run until the 6th, with an agenda that combines conferences, product presentations, networking and tours of ideal locations for holding these ceremonies in Havana and Varadero.
Cubatur’s Director General, Diana Olivera, welcomed attendees with remarks that set the tone for the event: “Expobodas 2025 is a space where innovation, excellence and dreams come together.”
The opening day included a keynote speech by Mónica Restrepo, director of the Forever Wedding Summit, who highlighted Cuba’s potential as a wedding destination: “The authenticity, cultural value and natural beauty of this country are unique ingredients for creating unforgettable experiences.”
On the first day, topics such as the challenges and opportunities for event organizers in Cuba were addressed by Jonathan Peña and Owen Llanes, as well as emotional communication strategies in the talk “Sell or Inspire?”, presented by Alexeis Torres Velázquez, marketing drector of Iberostar Hotels & Resorts Cuba.
The event is aimed at tour operators, wedding planners, service providers, the media and the general public. In the words of María Elena Suárez, an event organizer from Matanzas, “This type of meeting allows us to connect with colleagues, discover new trends and showcase the best of Cuba as a wedding destination.”
The event also emphasizes the need to professionalize communication in this niche. As Laura González, a tourism marketing specialist, expressed, “Social media and visual storytelling are key to attracting foreign couples. Cuba has a lot to tell, and Expobodas is the perfect setting to do so.”
With a global industry generating more than $50 billion annually, and destination weddings accounting for $16 billion, Cuba is committed to positioning itself as a leader in this market, combining hospitality, culture and unforgettable landscapes.
