by Cuba Journal staff
In an effort to diversify its tourism industry, Cuba’s Tourism Ministry (Mintur) announced recently it will launch the Tobacco Trail (or Tobacco Route) during this year’s tourism and nature fair (Turnat) in the provence of Pinar del Rio. The September fair will expose tourists to the heart of the tobacco growing and cigar production region and will include a visit to the Vinales Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
According to Deborah Henriquez, Mintur’s provincial delegate, the region is one of the world’s finest tobacco producers and, “that’s where we got the idea of creating a route that covers the complete production cycle, from the seeds to the smoke.”
Deborah also said the staff will be educating tourists during the Tobacco Trial, including the origins and history of Cuba’s tobacco culture, it traditions, and the latest scientific methods of production.
image credit: Kirua