Cuba's most famous resort welcomes 1 million tourists in 2009

Varadero, Cuba's most famous resort, welcomed 1 million tourists this year, a source from the Cuban tourism sector said Wednesday.

Velio Barrera, an expert on commercialization and communication at the Tourism Ministry in Varadero, said that 40 percent of the tourists visiting Cuba went to Varadero. Varadero is also known as the Blue Beach, and lies 140 km from Havana.

Barrera added that more than 86 percent of the hotel rooms in Varadero belong to the four- or five-star category, which together with the more than 20 km of beaches have made it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean.

Besides, Varadero offers various services including restaurants, cafes, boats, an airport and shops.

In the 1950's, there were only 15 hotels and many hostels in Varadero. Now, Varadero has 48 hotels, and investments here continue to increase.