President Maduro Fosters a Tourism-Centred Economy in Venezuela

On Wednesday, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro asked his ministers to make tourism an option to develop a post-oil economy.

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"Tourism is the secret weapon to achieve a new economy that can replace the oil-based economy," he said, emphasizing that many transformations are still required for international tourism to compete with oil production as a source of foreign currency.

Referring to the carnival holiday, Maduro highlighted that hotel occupancy reached almost 100 percent, a figure that demonstrates the business possibilities coming from the expansion of domestic tourism.

Regarding the reception of international visitors, Tourism Minister Ali Padron mentioned the arrival of 440 Russian tourists to Porlamar, on Margarita Island, a site that some 5,000 Cubans have also visited over the last 11 months.

"We also continue advancing in tourist exchanges with Poland, Ecuador, Brazil, and Trinidad & Tobago", he said, explaining that several cooperation agreements have been signed with countries like Poland.

In recent months, Venezuela has increased the frequency of its international flights, and has received thousands of Cubans and Russians through tourist plans.

Previously, the Maduro administration increased credits for the development of tourism-related activities and eliminated the COVID-19 tests at airports, which were in force for almost two years.