Academic partnerships to promote rural tourism and agrotourism in Cuba

Photos: Theder Castro

The last of the academic sessions of the 10th Ibero-American Meeting on Rural Tourism and Agrotourism begins today at the University of Havana.

In two panels, participants will learn about success stories related to the contributions of rural tourism and agrotourism to climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as the use of ICTs and Artificial Intelligence in this tourism sector.

Experts and tour operators from Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Portugal, Mexico and Cuba are scheduled to speak. The session will conclude with a networking workshop.

Science and good practices in rural tourism in MayabequeYesterday, delegates arrived in the western province of Mayabeque. At the Juan Pedro Carbó Serviá Graduate Center of the Fructuoso Rodríguez Pérez Agricultural University of Havana, they held the panel “Advances in Agrotourism and Other Forms of Rural Tourism in Latin America as a Response to Community Inclusion and Sustainable Development.

“There, Rector and DSc. Antihus Hernández Gómez welcomed everyone, hoping that the day would be a fruitful opportunity to exchange and learn about experiences that could be adopted within the institution.

The President of the Ibero-American Institute of Rural Tourism, Humberto López-Tyrone, emphasized that at the close of the 10th Ibero-American Rural Tourism Meeting, participants will have gained insight into teaching, as well as the humanity and courage of the Cuban people.

Valentín Molina Molero, professor at the University of Granada, spoke about best practices in inclusive rural tourism in Spain. Meanwhile, Carolina Fraile, international consultant and manager of the Extremadura Food Crafts Cluster, shared her experiences over more than three decades related to the development of agrotourism in Spain and its impact on the people of that country.

Andreia Roque, from the Rural Brazil Institute, spoke, stating that “more than a tourism strategy, rural tourism and agrotourism are a strategy for innovation, to showcase the best of the countryside.”

Representing Cuba, Francisco Longino Fránquiz Domínguez, events director of the ECOTUR Travel Agency, highlighted the opportunities and success stories of agrotourism in the Caribbean country.In the afternoon session, participants toured the Escaleras de Jaruco Park and the “El Guayabal” university farm, a space created to contribute to the sociocultural revitalization of the community in which it is located.

There, eight development programs are promoted: Livestock, Small Livestock, Poultry and Swine, Beekeeping, Aquaculture, and Agriculture.

During the visit, Cubans and international visitors learned about the transformation of the site, agroecological practices, work with vulnerable population groups, as well as the social, economic, and environmental impact on the community.