Havana - Cuban authorities are celebrating on Friday World Tourism Day with strategies focused on diversifying proposals in the travel industry and ensuring environmental care.

The Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) reported its will to sustain transformations in the recreational sphere by means of protecting wildlife and a variety of options including cultural trips, congresses, marine, nature tourism and tours.

Tourism continues to grow and develop in Cuba, committed to the use of state-of-the-art information technologies in the necessary process of the digital transformation of this tourist destination.

The Ministry stresses the strengthening of internet connection infrastructures in tourist facilities is an immediate task.

The country possesses over 70,000 hotel rooms in some 300 establishments distributed throughout the entire island, especially in four and five star categories.

One of the reasons for celebrating this World Tourism Day is the upcoming 500th anniversary of the founding of Havana, on November 16.

Furthermore, despite US pressures to harm the country's tourism sector, the sustained number of over four million foreign visitors per year proves that this area continues to develop.

Nature tourism and congress travel, as well as underwater photography are areas for development in this sector, on which tour operators and travel agents worldwide have their sights set.

Precisely at this moment, the 12th International Nature Tourism Event (Turnat 2019) is taking place in central-southern Cuba, with the presence of experts from 18 countries interested in strengthening ties with the island and its authorities.