MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

European cruise ship to dock at Margarita Island after 15 years

Tourism with Russia and Cuba is also to be boosted, Padrón said

Venezuelan authorities Thursday announced the first cruise ship in 15 years will be arriving at Margarita on Jan. 3, while the so-called “turoperación” with Russia will be resumed as of October, with 5 direct weekly flights between Moscow and Porlamar.

“January 3 is the arrival of the first cruise ship from Europe in 15 years. The cellophane of the unilateral coercive measures that prevented the arrival of cruise ships from Europe for many years is broken. This cruise ship is German, but it leaves from Spain and will arrive at the port of El Guamache, in Margarita,” Tourism Minister Alí Padrón explained. The vessel will include travelers from Spain, Germany, Belgium, France, and Italy, it was reported.

Each flight from Russia will carry an average of 440 tourists per flight, Padrón claimed while announcing that “thanks to the excellent commercial relations and of all kinds” between Venezuela and Cuba, there are flights of shopping tourism from Havana to Margarita twice a week. “This is high-end tourism. The average purchase of Cuban tourism is US$ 3,000, 4,000, and 5,000 in 4 days, it is purchase tourism that is going to dynamize the economy,” he said.

Some 5,500 Russian tourists have landed on the Caribbean island in the last few months, and it is estimated that this figure will increase to 100,000 visitors.

President Nicolás Maduro also approved the recovery plan for the Tucacas - Chichiriviche axis, which contemplates the restoration of roads, and the improvement of tourist services, among other support plans to further boost the industry.

On the other hand, the city of Punto Fijo, in the State of Falcón, will host the Expoturismo 2022, event to be held from September 22 to 24, as part of the National Tourism Development Plan that contemplates 12 states nationwide.

Tourism officials also announced that the first stage of the Mukumbarí Cable Car Tourist Transportation System in the state of Merida has been reactivated and is expected to be fully operational by November.