The event is organized biennially by the ministries of Tourism and Science, Technology and Environment, with the National Flora and Fauna Enterprise and was this year attended by more than 100 specialists in the sector, including tour operators, journalists, hotel managers and travel agencies from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Germany, France, Italy and Britain.

Nature has been generous with Cuba, blessing the island with unique flora and fauna due to its geographic position, dimensions, topography, geological structure and isolation, which allow for great biological diversity.

Fascinating natural sites are to be found throughout the archipelago (consisting of 4,195 small islands, islets and cays), many protected by the state as Animal Refuges, Ecological Reserves, National Parks and other special categories created after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959.

Although nature tourism has been gaining ground over the last several years, it is still far from reaching its full potential. Beach resort vacations continue to be the country’s major attraction for international visitors, Varadero in particular, Cuba’s leading tourist destination, popular not only because of its crystalline waters and white sand, but because it is well promoted. On the other hand, the country’s other beautiful natural landscapes are less known and cannot be remotely compared with the country’s world class beach resorts.

The island possesses unique, charming locations which, although they may not be appropriate for a massive influx of tourists - which is incompatible with nature tourism anyway – are being developed to expand offerings and basic infrastructure is being installed. Generally speaking, what those interested in nature tourism most require is an excellent guide - one capable of showing them the country’s great variety of insects, birds and mollusks, the plant and animal species living here which people travel thousands of miles to see.

This can be attained, even though Cuba is not exempt from the effects of the difficult world economic situation being experienced by the majority of European nations and others around the planet.

"I believe in the quality of Cuba’s potential for nature tourism, its endemic species, recognized as unique, which creates a very special opportunity to attract people who are truly interested in this option," said Marta Báez Rojas, president of the Tourism and Conservation Consultants Association of Costa Rica and a participant in the event.

"What differentiates Cuba is its endemicism, the fact that it is an archipelago gives it an absolutely unique resource: a gold pebble in your hands, but there is much to do before putting this resource in someone else’s hands. We are working with a very fragile, delicate resource and technical information must be acquired and decisions made about how to function, with clear limits on when and how many people may enter, at what times, under what conditions, to protect your competitive advantage. That’s why I am sure you will be stars in creating sustainable natural destinations," she emphasized.

According to official sources, in 2012 nature tourism generated income of more than 20 million dollars, even though the number of participants represented only 4% of international visitors to the country.