The two sides shared experiences on the Party building tasks, economical development. Chairman Phong expected to further strengthen and deepen relations between the two countries.
The HCMC’s chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong also introduced the socio-economic development of HCMC and the ability of tourism cooperation with Cuba.
On this occasion, the Ministry of Tourism of Cuba signed cooperation agreements with HCMC’s travel companies to organize tours to Cuba, call on Vietnamese businesses to invest in building hotels and resorts in Cuba and support Cuban enterprises to participate in international tourism events in HCMC.
According to Vice Minister of Tourism of Cuba, Luis Miguel Diaz Sanchez, in 2017, Cuba received more than 4 million visitors, 16.8 percent more than the year before and earned US$3 billion in tourism revenue. Cuba is regarded as the country has a potential to be an attractive destination after Mexico with an estimated number of tourists of 12 million in the upcoming years. Cuba's tourism industry hopes to have 103,000 hotel rooms by 2030.
The HCMC’s delegation also visited the Mariel Special Economic Development Zone, a. 465.4km2 special economic zone situated 45km from Havana. The Mariel complex has been granted investment licenses for 35 projects worth a total capital of US$1.2 billion, including two Vietnamese enterprises, Thai Binh Investment Joint Stock Company and Vietnam Glass and Ceramics for Construction Corporation (Viglacera).
On the day, Chairman Phong and the delegation visited and presented gifts to residents of Ben Tre village in Cuba's Artemisa province and students of Uncle Ho primary school in Havana capital city.
