By Kate Ivchenko

Hola Sun Holidays, the Cuba Specialist, is now proudly 30 years old. To celebrate this incredible milestone, they sent 30 lucky travel agents and media representatives on a 30th Anniversary FAM trip to the beautiful gem of the Caribbean … Cuba!

WheelsUpNetwork was one of the lucky ones who got a chance to explore some of the most visited parts of Cuba after its reopening on November 15, 2021. We visited brand new and renovated hotels, experienced first-hand the ease of the new COVID-19 protocols and even got the chance to chat with the Cuban Minister of Tourism, Juan Carlos García Granda!

Left to right: Hugo Rocha from Hola Sun Holidays, Juan Carlos  García  Granda, Minister of Tourism of Cuba, Marisabel González from Havanatur and Nieves Ricardo from Cuba Tourist Board

Our FAM team inspected over 20 hotel where we were greeted so enthusiastically by the staff, with local performers, welcome drinks, refreshments and so much more! Although all FAMs hosted by Hola Sun are well-organized and designed to enlighten agents and industry partners with new Cuban offerings, this FAM had the feel of a real celebration. Our team was so warmly welcomed everywhere we went, and as part of the Hola Sun family we got to soak up all the birthday festivities!

“One of the main purposes of this ultimate FAM trip was to showcase Hola Sun’s newest destination – Cayo Cruz!” says Hugo Rocha, General Manager of Hola Sun. This new destination is 26 square kilometres surrounded by 25 kilometres of gorgeous beach and has 4 resorts that you can book right now through Hola Sun!

Stay tuned for more in-depth information about the destination, places to visit and stay. Make sure to check WheelsUpNetwork.ca/news to receive the latest updates first-hand!

Another highlight was the discovery of a brand-new island destination, just 30 minutes from Cayo Coco airport (CCC), Cayo Paredon, where they will be opening 6 new properties. 

We were able to take a sneak peek at Cayo Paredon Grande, a 5-star family friendly hotel with 594 rooms (Standard, Junior and Suite). This stunning resort will feature 8 bars, 4 restaurants and a buffet and is slated to open at the end of December/early January. 

To safely reopen Cuba to international tourists, the destination has implemented more flexible COVID-19 protocols that all businesses need to follow. E.g. in all closed spaces, busses, lobbies, restaurants (only while entering and leaving the table), guests need to wear a mask. To minimize contact with cash, the Government of Cuba created a prepaid card for cashless payments that can be easily purchased at all the hotels. Also, many private businesses have installed payment terminals, so you will be able to pay with your credit or debit card. No more cash and exchanges!

For Canadians who need to show a negative PCR test upon arrival home, Cuba has made everything to make sure your testing experience is as smooth and safe as possible. Guests can book their PCR at the hotel for only 30 USD Cuba-wide. The results will be available on the next day and you can pay the fee with your VISA credit card while checking out.

Around every hotel you will find hand sanitizer dispensers with instructions of what to do to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Want to feel what it’s like to be on an Hola Sun FAM trip? Or are you looking to book Cuban adventures through true destination experts? We asked agents what their experience was like and why they choose Hola Sun over other tour operators in Canada:

“Hola Sun sells local Cuba, not a basic all-inclusive package. On their FAM trips, they give you as much information as possible and other tour operators do not do that.”

“They offer Cuban culture and not a traditional all-inclusive vacation at the resort.”

“It is a tour operator that specializes in Cuba. Who if not they will offer our clients a true authentic vacation experience?”

Currently, Hola Sun offers packages to Cayo Coco, Cayo Cruz, Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Santa Maria, Cienfuegos, Havana, Holguin, Santa Lucia (Camaguey), Trinidad, Santiago de Cuba and of course, Varadero!

We at WheelsUpNetwork are so grateful to the Hola Sun team who made our trip unforgettable, with a heartfelt thank you to Hugo Rocha, Victoria Wall; Sharon Arghittu; Benny Garcia and Roberto Diaz and a very special gracias goes out to Nieves Ricardo from the Cuban Tourist Board office here in Toronto! 

Thank you for inviting us be a part of your family and to celebrate your incredible achievements over the past 30 years! Happy Anniversary and we wish you many more successful years to come!

Stay tuned as we will be sharing more important updates, takeaways from our visit to the Gaviota Travel Mart, new hotel developments and more great tips for travelling with Hola Sun Holidays!