Cuba, a fast-growing tourist destination in the Caribbean region, offers a wide range of options to vacationers, as part of authorities' strategy to develop the tourism industry.

In addition to traditional sun and beach programs, Cuba's tourist options are complemented by fairs and meetings on several topics.

The development of that modality results from business people's growing interest in congress tourism in Cuba.

Cultural festivals and artistic fairs, including music, cinema and literature, are among the main offers for vacationers.

Movie theaters in both Havana and other provinces screen films from the Americas every year, during the Latin American New Film Festival, which has become one of the most attractive cinematographic events in the region.

Other events are the annual International Book Fair, as well as and dance, theater and ballet performances, in addition to local festivities such as carnivals, each having unique characteristics.

Cuba's centuries-old historic heritage is also present in a nationwide network of museums that keep the legacy from previous generations.

Cuba has a broad network of more than 300 museums, including 14 specialized on art, seven on sciences and technology, five on ethnology and anthropology and 68 on history.

The Caribbean island has dozens of kilometers of excellent beaches, and centuries-old traditions, culture and history, in addition to a wide range of nautical activities, including scuba diving and snorkeling.

Cuba also offers more than 70,000 square kilometers of insular platform and some 5,000 kilometers of coasts, which are bathed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

Three dozen diving centers operate throughout the country, where divers can take initiation courses and dive in coral reefs and caverns following international standards for that nautical activity.

Nearly 6,500 varieties of fish, crustaceans, sponges and mollusks, and an 850-kilometer coral reef in perfect state of preservation turn the island into one of the best-preserved underwater ecosystems in the Caribbean region.

Cayo Largo del Sur, Varadero, Santa Lucía, Jardines del Rey, Isla de la Juventud and the keys off Villa Clara's north coast are also excellent destinations for diving enthusiasts.