Cuba expected to this year the number of “record” for the island of more than 2.3 million tourists, despite the destruction caused by three hurricanes and global financial crisis, said Vice-Minister of Tourism, Alexis Morejon.

The number of tourists to the island rose by 10.7% over the same period of 2007 and “? We will exceed the 2.34 million visitors, a record,” he said to Airport of Havana where he had come welcome the two millionth tourist, the Canadian entrepreneur Enrique Illaida, who arrived in Toronto on Air Canada.

Overall the hotel infrastructure have withstood hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma that caused three months to nearly $ 10 billion in damage in the communist island, according to President Raul Castro.

Mr. Morejon said expected for the year 2009 to “another good season even if the global financial crisis worse.

“There could be some impact but I do not think it will mean for Cuba a significant decline” in the number of tourists, he said.

The tourism industry is one of the most important sectors of the Cuban economy, reporting annually more than $ 2 billion. For five years, the sandy beaches of the island Communist attract more than 2 million visitors, mostly Canadian and European.