From 1955 to 1956 tourism started in Cienaga de Zapata when several US wealthy Americans began making business on the potentials of the country's biggest pond: Laguna del Tesoro.
It was Mr. Thomas Turner that began a campaign across Cuba and the US to attract tourists fond of hunting and fishing. As a way to do so he filmed a documentary on his adventures around the basin to show the potentialities of the place, mainly on the legendary lake for trout fishing.
With the goal of making business more feasible, they built an about 3 kilometers long stretch canal to reach at the famous small lake. They later brought from the USA a airboat for transport. Finally, they built two floating houses in cay "Las Coruas" – almost in the center of the pond – which served as traveling cabins, which could be taken wherever wanted. The cavanas cost $100 dollars daily then.
At the triumph of the Cuban Revolution on January the first, 1959 tourism was socialized and diversified in Cienaga de Zapata thanks to the construction of new and faster roads, like the causeways: from Australia town to Playa Larga and Playa Giron, from Covadonga town to San Blas and Playa Giron, and from Yaguaramas to Horquitas, San Blas and Playa Giron. Those three new roads led to the construction of tourist facilities and eased the way to the Cuban people as well as tourists from the Eastern European socialist countries to get at the places.
After the fifth of November 1959 road traffic across those was opened causeways, as the following facilities and tourist villas were built.
• Cafeteria – Restaurant "La Boca" on the 23 of December, 1960.
• Tourist Villa Playa Larga on the 27th of July, 1961. At 10:00 AM.
• Tourist Villa Playa Giron on the 27th of July, 1961. Between 2:00 to 4:00 PM.
• Tourist Villa "Guama" on the 18th of July, 1962.
• Cafeteria – Restaurant "Pio Cua" in 1963.
Law 636 of November 20, 1959 led to the creation of the "National Institute of Tourism" (INIT), which was in charge of the political regulation and boosting of tourism, the development of tourism by the Revolutionary Government, the preservation and boosting of the country's natural richness with tourist significance, the protection of the Nation's historic and cultural patrimony - relevant for tourism – and the removal and progressive upgrading of all the causes of Cuba's tourist underdevelopment. In spite of all that, it was the National Park Peninsula de Zapata (PNPZ) with its Especial Plan for the Comprehensive Development of Cienaga de Zapata economically, socially and culturally, and tinged with ecology goals – that organized and ran tourism there from October 1960 to 1971.
After that Especial Plan appeared the "Tourist Complex Cienaga de Zapata" ran by Julio Remigio Monzon Diaz and a great team with people like Rio Socorro, Franco, Humberto Ojeda, Ruben Gonzalez, Mario Diaz, Raul Alfonso, among others. Later, it was named Cienaga de Zapata Tourist Company, then new other structures came until today that CUBANACAN company runs tourism in the huge Wetland.
The first tourist modes (until 1980) developed there never reach out the nautical (La Boca – Guama and fishing cooperative), "sun and beach", sports fishing on board concrete boats that went for Los Canarreos Archipelago, accommodations in the three tourist villas, watching crocodiles in captivity, and visits to the museum in Playa Giron.
In 1980's appeared "Specialized Activities" like birds watching, visits to the cenotes, scuba diving, fishing trout tourneys in Laguna del Tesoro pond, fly fishing in the styles of capturing and freeing. All that was possible thanks to the initiatives and dedication by the former board of the Tourist Company and the decisive collaboration by the specialists from the "National Natural Park" together with the Municipal Agriculture and Ranching Company that made the studies, fitted out the places and calculated the burdens and environmental impact on the areas for tourism administration of the natural patrimony, which have become emblematic things since then on, as is the cases of:
• La Salina de Brito.
• Guamutal.
• Hatiguanico River.
• Bermejas.
However, the common sense among specialists is that tourism modes in Cienaga de Zapata do not fully reach it all or are not properly exploited in accordance with the potentials of the territory; for that reason, talking of the decommercialization of the Tourist Product in Cienaga de Zapata is unfair due to the fact the natural and historic richness of this huge Wetland are there at its full length. The problem points at what is yet to be done to boost the influx of tourists. Maybe the wiser intentional commercialization of the product, through a better intention, higher interest, larger awareness of the local tourist product by workers and leaders of the sector because the location of Cienaga de Zapata is indeed enviable and is another strength: between three big and renowned tourist areas like Havana, Varadero and Cienfuegos! Then the task is making the tour operators, travel agencies and every Cuban and foreign tourist specialists to learn of the enormous qualities of the "Tourist Product of Cienaga de Zapata" as a way to preserve tourism in the area the way it deserves: 100 % natural and blessed by history, which recreates four period of the History of Cuba.
PRESENT DAY SITUATION OF STATE TOURISM IN CIENAGA DE ZAPATA
By 1985 a good try to insert the "Tourist Product of Cienaga de Zapata" in the world market was made, but it was not until 1990's that a radical turn happened in tourism administration there.
With the eruption of the called "Special Period" (1990) several domestic policies became more flexible, like the decriminalization of US dollar use and the promotion of foreign tourism coming from capitalist countries in order to win so needed hard currencies, and also the Sixth Congress of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) (April 16 – 19, 2011), whose main focus was the analysis and passing of the Political, Economic and Social Guidelines of the Party and the Revolution. In the event was conceived and accepted a new form of economic administration: the non state or private one! Since then on, Cienaga de Zapata has made a great turn: Playa Giron, Playa Larga and El Caleton de Ventura have undergone a transformation so much in the area of construction, as in culture and axiologically speaking.
The hotel facilities made a great jump, and something very important, the preparation of the staffers and leaders of the state tourism was better made in accordance with the demands of international tourism, thanks to the work by the "Hospitality School" based in the municipality, which unfortunately ceased to go as a training and upgrading institution and today one can see traveling teachers going to teach the staffers the didactics and methodology of tourism at the different local facilities. From our point of view, such a thing is a step backward for local tourism in its ambitions of evolving from a "Tourist Optional" to a "Tourist Destination" in Cienaga de Zapata.
Given the natural, historic and cultural potentials of Cienaga de Zapata, the state tourism is developing the following modes:
• Bird watching accompanied by specialized guides from the National Natural Park.
• Hiking.
• Fly fishing, style of capturing and freeing.
• Scuba diving and snurkling.
• Watching the Cuban crocodile in captivity with a needed explanation.
• Stay at the three tourist villas and in Batey Don Pedro.
• Visits to museums in Playa Giron and La Nochebuena Carbonera con Fidel (Charcoal Christmas Celebration with Fidel Castro).
• Seven kilometer long journey on a launch from La Boca to Guama.
• Sun and beach.
• Visit to the farms of manjuari (Cuban alligator gar), biajaca (a Cuban river fish) and parrots.
• Visit to different "tourist transfer facilities" where the client can take a rest to recover from long journeys, as they taste Cuban food and drinks.
• Visits to Punta Perdiz and Caleta Buena, "where the color of the waters takes you to Heaven."
NON STATE OR PRIVATE TOURISM
The non state or private tourism is a recent economic and social phenomenon so much in Cuba as in Cienaga de Zapata. Starting the historic situation referred before (1990's), several outgoing people with some money began to rent rooms to foreign tourists in Playa Giron, Playa Larga and El Caleton de Ventura.
Nowadays, those small private hotels and restaurants have reached such importance that one cannot talk of tourism in Cienaga de Zapata without making reference to them.
Today's the image of the huge wetland has been changing for good all along the road from the town of Australia to Palpite, Playa Larga and Playa Giron. Passers-by meet with houses built with attractive styles, the atmosphere is much gorgeous with the building of sidewalks and gardens; and something very important, the concern to improve the "tourist image," where cleaning and care for environment should take the lead.
In my opinion, private tourism has become a positive phenomenon for not alone launching new offers to the client, and making tourist services more personal, given the fact the attention relies on a few persons all devoted to the visitors, meanwhile the state tourism makes it on a reverse way. The prices of the private services are bellow the state's, as the self-employed workers can better deal with costs drop and almost always make it for they are not attached to rigid economic politics. For the most part comfort in the private rooms is fairly good, being thus able to compete with the state hotels. The owners of the small hotels and paladares (small private restaurants) pay significant taxes which have become a good financial deposit for the Cuban state.
No doubt the non state sector has become a "hybrid" which is a concern for some but promising for others. Much care should be taken starting this "Reform" (self-employment) which is not new in its conception as it is devised within Leninism, but it is true that man "man think and behave the way he lives" (a Marxist postulate); that is, someone running business and reaching much higher incomes than the state worker, it goes without saying that it is a concern because the capitalist main cell is gestating within the Cuban socialism: Private property!, which paved the way for the appearance of the bourgeoisie as a dominant social class in the preceding Social Economic Formation.
For this author, that the holding of more than one job by an individual is possible; (a university professor, a reporter are far from nearing the levels of a self-employee) in Cienaga de Zapata, the concern should be focused on the "treatment" by the state institutions and the revolutionaries within or outside the non state sector towards that emergent segment of the Cuban society. We should not fear the "reform" itself, we should rather be concerned upon the inertia and the drifting apart towards the new economic administration. We should get closer with concrete proposals to the informal leaders, to children, adolescents and youths, who want to live in a prosperous and sustainable country; in fact, everybody (the state or private workers) making contributions to the development of tourism in Cienaga de Zapata.
As a university teacher I give priority to the axiological work with the present and future generations of the huge wetland. I believe this is preoccupying because our children, adolescents and youths may get influenced by ways of thinking and behaving incompatible to the country's system of values, which are brought by clients visiting us but which are alien to our culture. Those little ones are every day exposed to odd ways of living as they live in houses that welcome foreigners, so much to stay or eat in restaurants. Another present-day problem comes when having to make a decision, thus valuations turn superficial - but no doubt it is true the private business lead to making money easier in today's context-, thus they prefer not to do a university degree or get a technical certificate because "studies are not necessary to make money," as we often hear them saying.
That is why parents and business owners should bear in mind that the client is coming to enjoy the country's gorgeous nature, but also to establish a cultural relation with the nation. We should therefore have every time more cultured staffers working in our places, that is, persons better prepared to give tourists wise responses, and that, without a doubt, is achieved in school through consciously studying. Visitors are eager to know about our customs, food, dances, history, vocabulary, etc. Then what will happen if our children, adolescents and youths absorb the imported, alien, foreign things, rather than the traditions that make us different? And, if the new generations start to give more importance to the material thing than to the symbiosis of material and ideas? Well, that is a "pathology" with a social response: face to face systematic work, dynamic and tempered to all the ages. The void speech and the stereotype approach would not work in activities combining tourism and the teaching of the natural, historic and cultural values that the Great Cienaga de Zapata boasts of.
In fact, the new non state economic administration is a positive phenomenon that we all should accept, live with and fraternize with, seem from the perspective of tourism development in the territory.
To deal with the above mentioned issue, the author, that also rents rooms within the Non State Sector, conceived a Project called "Patria" (Homeland), which bets on explaining from the scope of science the interrelation nature – history – culture in Cienaga de Zapata. Some small local hotels have joined the project where the "client is given priority and the historic true is the compass."
A Catalogue of Tourist Options is presented to each client in the small hotel to allow them choose nine tours offered; out there, the client is briefed on the places to visit, the prices, the schedules, among other details.
The small hotels that profit from the Catalogue mark a difference because of the offers of the nine options. Also, the client has the chance of diversifying and deepening knowledge on the biggest wetland of the Insular Caribbean by interrelating nature, history and culture in a single tour.
One thing to bear in mind is that Cienaga de Zapata is a mixture of natural wonders and historic events that captivates; it attracts visitors to a point that they get addicted to staying in the midst of such bewitching atmosphere!
If you go for the meaning of the toponymy of Cienaga de Zapata you will be told that it is a basin, a wetland, a huge nature made environment, unique culture in a Cuban only of its type in the country who lives closely linked to nature. It is a place 100 % free from pollution capable of producing ecstasies to fight the so harmful stress! All those valuable features found in this part of Cuba make it possible that several tourism activities are at clients' reach, such as scuba diving, hiking, bird watching, historic and cultural tours, adventures, nautical, sports fishing on the style of capturing and freeing, also called "oxygenated leisure," due to the fact that this huge wetland has the biggest concentration of mangrove in Cuba and one of the biggest woody areas in the Cuban archipelago.
You can get acquainted with all that, coming and going through the majestic and always attractive Cienaga de Zapata, just by asking for any of the 9 tourist options offered here and where the client is the top goal; the costs are truly reasonable under the company of a guide specialized on such issues.
Courses or lectures on the history and culture of this huge wetland are given, closely linked to the natural environment; reports and brochures on these issues are available in Spanish and English.
If you quickly picked on the tourist optional at the "small hotel" that you have chosen, you will for sure take back home an unrepeatable and lasting experience.
You may contact us by calling to Mary on the phone 54559627.
You can also visit the page on Facebook.
CATALOGUE OF TOURIST OPTIONALS
TOURIST OPTION # 1: "POR LA SENDA DE LA VICTORIA" (Along the road of Victory)
• A brochure is sold, which includes a map on the events of the Bay of Pigs. The tour that will take place on the means of transport rented at the state's agencies or those by self-employed drivers includes a tourist guide who will explain to you all about the events that occurred here in 1961. The following historic sites are suggested:
- Entronque de Playa Larga (Group Cornerstone Plaque). The three combats.
- Punta de Brito (Playa Larga). The first organized militia shot.
- Punta Perdiz. A genocide.
- El Ebano Real. At the door of the direct intervention.
- Entronque de Playa Giron. The sacrifice to reach victory.
- Museum of Playa Giron. Before, during and after the events of Bay of Pigs in 1961.
- Ensenada or Playa Giron. A beach bath with history.
• This optional will last 6 hours.
Phones: 58782877 (Julio Amorin)
54559627 (Mary).
TOURIST OPTION # 2: "ON THE ROUT OF CHARCOAL"
• A brochure is sold with all about the culture of forestry, making an emphasis on charcoal making and the Spanish contribution on the culture of Cienaga de Zapata. You will travel on horse driven carriages, which were properly suited and decorated by their owners living in Playa Larga, who hire them together with other means of transport. The itinerary goes as follows:
- Main Road - Entronque Playa Larga – Buenaventura.
- Bay of Pigs.
- Los Camarones river.
- El Canal de Yebra.
- Buenaventura village.
- Palpite village.
• The tour may take at about 3 hours: 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM.
Phones: 58782877 (Julio Amorin)
54559627 (Mary).
TOURIST OPTION # 3: "SEA, FORESTS AND LEGENDS"
• A brochure is sold with local legends and their relation with the natural environment. You will travel on horse driven carriages, which were properly suited and decorated by their owners living in Playa Larga, who hire them together with other means of transport. The itinerary goes as follows:
- Entronque - Playa Larga.
- La Boca river.
- El Dormitorio beach.
- Small Lagunita del "Carril de las Mujeres".
- El Yanal.
• The tour may last for about 5 hours: 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM, then return to the small hotel.
Phones: 58782877 (Julio Amorin)
54559627 (Mary).
TOURIST OPTION # 4: "TOPONYMIES IN CIENAGA DE ZAPATA PLUS SOME NEEDED INFORMATION"
• A brochure is sold, which includes a map. Along the tour on the means of transport decided a tourist guide will tell to the visitors on the toponymies and the names given to some places of Cienaga de Zapata like:
- Buenaventura.
- Playa "Rio de los Camarones".
- El Caleton de Ventura.
- Terraplen Casa de Visita of the EFI (El Bosque) – travelling sawmills.
- Playa Larga.
- Playa La Maquina.
- Los Hondones.
- El Cenote or Cueva de los Peces.
- Punta Perdiz.
- Playa Giron – Playa del Cristo.
• The tour will last about six hours: 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM, then the return to the small hotels.
Phones: 58782877 (Julio Amorin)
54559627 (Mary).
TOURIST OPTION # 5: "NATURALEZA Y LA NOCHEBUENA CARBONERA CON FIDEL"
☼ A brochure is sold which comprises all the information about the Nochebuena Carbonera con Fidel (Charcoal Christmas with Fidel) and its natural surroundings. The tour is done on horse driven carriages, which have been properly shaped and ornamented for the occasion, and are driven and rented by their owners living in Playa Larga, other means of transportation may be used. Next the suggested route is given:
- Main road from Playa Larga to Playa La Maquina.
- From the road of Playa La Maquina to El Yanal.
- Lagoon Laguna de Facundo.
- El Soplillar settlement.
- Museum "La Nochebuena Carbonera con Fidel".
• The tour will last about five hours: 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM, then the return to the small hotels.
Phones: 58782877 (Julio Amorin)
54559627 (Mary).
TOURIST OPTION # 6: "AFTER THE HISPANIC PRINTS"
☼ A brochure is sold with all about the migration, stay, work, and Hispanic legacy in Cienaga de Zapata. Along the tour on the means of transport decided, tourists can enjoy the following tour proposed to feed on the local history and culture:
- Buenaventura.
- Canal de Yebra.
- Mario Lopez – Caleton, across a woody path.
- Palpite.
- La Maquina beach.
- Factory of fertilizers and muddy lagoon.
- Small hotel. "Dia de la hispanidad" (Columbus Day).
• The tour will last about four hours: 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM, then the return to the small hotels.
Phones: 58782877 (Julio Amorin)
54559627 (Mary).
TOURIST OPTION # 7: "PEOPLE AND COUNTRYSIDE CULTURE"
☼ A brochure is sold with all about the cultural formation of the local people, and their distinctive features. The following route is given for the tour on the means of transport decided, during which tourists can learn about the history and culture of Cienaga de Zapata:
- Los Hondones.
- Los Sabalos river.
- El Soplillar.
- Small hotel. "Dia de la hispanidad" (Columbus Day).
☼ The tour will last about five hours: 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM, then the return to the small hotels.
Phones: 58782877 (Julio Amorin)
54559627 (Mary).
TOURIST OPTION # 8: "BAY, COASTAL REGION, CORSAIRS AND PIRATES"
☼ A brochure is sold with all about the 300 years of pirates and buccaneers in Cienaga de Zapata, which enriched the local folklore. The following route is given for the tour on the means of transport decided, during which tourists can learn about that past history as they go enjoying the gorgeous coastal line of this huge wetland :
- El Caleton de Ventura.
- Playa del Rio "La Boca".
- Playa o Caleta "La Gallina".
- Ensenada y Playa Giron.
- Caleta Buena.
- Caleta del Ingles.
☼ The tour will last about six hours: 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM, then the return to the small hotels.
Phones: 58782877 (Julio Amorin)
54559627 (Mary).
TOURIST OPTIONAL # 9: "WANDERING ABOUT CIENAGA DE ZAPATA"
☼ This tourist option might include the stay in a hotel or may be scheduled a day before leading for Havana or any other place.
☼ The guide will join clients in the vehicole stationed in the tourist facility "Finca Campesina", nean the Autopista Nacional (National Speedway). A brochure is sold with information about Cienaga de Zapata, which includes a map and photos of the natural and historic places of the huge wetland. The route goes as follows:
- Tourist ficility "La Boca".
- Palpite.
- Playa Larga.
- El Soplillar.
- El Cenote o Cueva de Los peces.
- Playa Giron.
☼ Havana is 155 KM away from Cienaga de Zapata, 162 KM away from La Boca, 172 KM away from Playa Larga and 202 KM away from Playa Giron.
☼ This tourist opcion lasts about six 6 hours.
54559627 (Mary).
We will be waiting for you where nature grows with history!
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario