In the light of the upcoming World Travel Market (WTM) in London , Excelencias re quested an interview with Ambassador Tim Cole to know his views on the inflow of British tourists to Cuba and the Caribbean , as well as the chances for further growth .The following is a rundown of the conversation with the British diplomat :

The following is a rundown of the conversation with the British diplomat: In recent years the UK has turned out to

be the top European outbound market for Cuba. What do you make of this uptick in the number of British  travellers?

Indeed there was a certain decrease in the number of travellers from my country in 2008 as a result of the crisis that affected both Great Britain and Europe. Now that figure is hovering around 160,000 tourists per year.

I must say that Europe has places with beautiful beaches and cozy hotels, such as France, Italy, Greece and Portugal, which are far closer and a whole lot cheaper. The fact that Britons are the Europeans that travel to Cuba the most is something amazing.

What is certain is that Cuba boasts an image, a different brand compared to other Caribbean nations: the history, the revolution, personalities such as Fidel and Che Guevara, the cigars, the rum, the salsa music, the culture. There is something different about Cuba for Britons.

Do you mean they are not just sunbathers looking for sun and beaches?

That’s right. Most Britons visit beaches like Varadero, Guardalavaca and others, yet they also save a couple of days to go to Trinidad or Havana, just for a closer look at the culture, the architecture. Yet that’s still something amazing. There are other competing countries in the region, with state-of-the-art infrastructure, like Mexico, for example.

How do you assess the steps the country is taking to lure more visitors?

I can see that the government is considering ways to increase the options. For instance, a British project to build a golf course has been approved. There’s a superb course in Varadero, but more are needed. The new project will be carried out in Carbonera, Varadero, by the British company Havana Resorts. It includes apartments, shops and other facilities for tourists. Another important example is the new marina built in Varadero. There’s also a need to keep up the level of service in the hotels. That’s a challenge for all countries, I mean, the maintenance and renovation of their infrastructure. They ought to refurbish and build.

What can you say about the inflow of British tourists to the Caribbean?

Well, there are very strong ties with the English-speaking Caribbean, former British colonies. Barbados draws many visitors, Jamaica now has many tourist facilities, but also has culture, reggae and Bob Marley, who is quite an icon in England. There’s an island called Mustique which is highly coveted by Britons because the Queen’s sister and other

celebrities used to go there every year. Since I was young I have heard people talking about the Caribbean but Cuba is different.

Have you visited Cuban tourist centers?

Yes, for work reasons I have travelled to Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Santa Clara and Matanzas. I like mountains, but I have not visited the Sierra Maestra yet. I love museums. In Santa Clara I visited the Che Guevara Museum which is very important to my job. In Havana, my favorite museum is the Napoleonic. I went to Matanzas and visited the Sauto Theater. It’s a fantastic place which is currently being restored. There are buildings that need to be refurbished, but it implies a high cost.