Cuba's tourism industry, which has benefited from large investments, is expected to grow in a short term with the additional element contributed by high efficiency in management.

In that regard, there is an increasing presence of national tourist chains, which are often linked to major foreign groups, as a result of administration agreements.

Statistics from the tourism sector show that Gaviota tops the list of Cuban hotel groups with 19,500 rooms, followed by Cubanacán S.A. (15,255), Gran Caribe (12,025), Islazul (11,793) and Habaguanex (586).

Undoubtedly, Gaviota's position is getting stronger due to its two decades' experience in operations and the diversity of options in its tourist catalog.

The group offers trails of exuberant vegetation for horseback excursions, waterfalls, and beautiful and varied sea beds for scuba diving and snorkeling.

In addition, in Varadero, Cuba's major coastal resort, the hotel chain runs a modern international marina with more than 1,300 piers, the largest facility of its kind in Cuba and the Caribbean.

In Varadero alone, Gaviota runs more than 7,000 in 12 hotels and it will administer three new hotels in Cayo Buba and Las Conchas beach.

The group runs 30 percent of hotel rooms in Cuba and is working to open a dozen hotels throughout the country.

In the administration and commercialization of its facilities, Gaviota has joined major international chains such as Meliá Hotels International, Iberostar, Blau, H 10, Riu, Blue Diamond, Hotusa and Pestana.

Cuba's tourism industry is also expanding its horizons with new options such as ecotourism and the improvement of tourists' quality of life.

In that regard, there are several health facilities, hotels that specialize in providing various treatments and spas of medicinal water throughout Cuba.

There are about three dozen diving centers that operate nationwide with facilities for initiation courses and diving in coral reefs and caverns, following internationally-recognized standards for that activity.

Diving benefits from an annual average water temperature of 24 degrees Celsius, in addition to a horizontal visibility of more than 30 meters.

Gaviota will build a modern diving center that will allow expanding the offers in that activity, which is highly demanded by foreign vacationers.