Q: Mr. Holder, can you give us an assessment of how the Caribbean fared in the year 2002? R:/ Unfortunately, we haven’t received all the 2002 statistics, so I can’t give you a real appraisal. We started 2002 with very disappointing outcomes. But we’ve been getting better as the year goes by. There are even some countries that have done somewhat better than last year, especially in the months of November and December. As soon as we have all the information in out hands, we expect (the region) to be 3 to 4 percent lower than the year before. This is for the region as a whole, because some countries will remain unchanged.

Jungle Tour, a trademarked product owned by Queen International S.A., has been going stronger in Cuba with each passing year since the company landed on the island on Feb. 28, 1998. Jungle Tour now marks its fifth anniversary with $8 million worth of revenues. Under a slogan reading The Ultimate Adventure, the company brings emotions and nature enjoyment to tourists from over 22 nations who come to this country looking for adventure and nautical fun, Jungle Tour’s general manager Stefan Geier told Caribbean News.

CND: The Cigar Festival has already become a tradition. What’s the reason behind this? A: The Cigar Festival is an event that has rightfully turned out to be a tradition for cigar aficionados all over the world. We’re now holding the fifth edition (Feb. 24 to 28) and this time around we’re marking the 510th anniversary of cigar’s arrival to the Old World and the fifth birthday of the Trinidad brand. Some 60 countries are attending this major event.

CND: SuperClubs is looking more for the European market now because before Sept. 11 everyone was more towards the Americans, but now what are you doing? A: All markets have been important to us. It has been more based on the destination, for example in Brazil our clientele base is made up substantially of Brazilians and Argentineans more so than any other market. In Cuba its primarily Canada and Europe. In Jamaica and Bahamas it’s primarily an American market. In the Dominican Republic we expect it to be more balanced between Canadians, Americans and Europeans. So, Europe has always been extremely important but its importance is based on the market share that Europe has in a particular destination that we operate in.

Aware of a high quality product and teeming with optimism, the Sandals Royal Hicacos Resorts & Spa –the only one of its kind in Cuba- opened recently in Varadero. Caribbean News Digital interviewed the hotel’s general manager Ignacio Perez Roman.

SuperClubs branches out its clientele and eyes Europe as an “extremely important market” in the pursuit of its goals, Mr. Joe Issa admitted in this exclusive interview with Caribbean News Digital: