Havana, Dec 26

 Cuba has welcomed the first cruise ship of its current high tourist season, which will run through March 2022.

With 84 German tourists on board, the World Voyager ship docked at a port of Santiago de Cuba, the second largest province of the Caribbean nation, on Saturday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Soraida Lozano, a delegate of the Ministry of Tourism in the province, told local media that the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic had severely affected the global tourism industry.

"We will continue to do our best for tourists to return," Lozano said, adding that all measures had been taken to protect the health of the passengers and crew members of the cruise ship.

The cruise ship will continue its journey to the central province of Cienfuegos on Monday.

The total number of tourists visiting the island nation in 2021 is expected to be less than half a million, according to Cuba's tourism authorities.
 

ians