ETG launches a new flight from Madrid to Havana in the summer of 2024.
Enjoy Travel Group (ETG), a Spanish company specialising in accessible tourism, announced today that commencing in June, a new direct flight route from Madrid to Havana will be operational. Luís Jiménez, the Vice President of Marketing and Sales at ETG, informed Prensa Latina on Tuesday that this tourist service will run from 29th June to 7th September, utilising a Plus Ultra company A330 aircraft with 200 seats in Economy class and 24 seats in Business class out of a total of 288.
Javier Sotomayor, Prince of Asturias Sports Award winner and world high jump record holder, will be on board the inaugural flight from Madrid to Havana on 29th June.
The success of the recently concluded Madrid International Tourism Fair (FITUR January 24 to 28) prompted the decision to launch this Havana operation, building on the success of similar trips from Barcelona to Havana in previous years.
Jiménez noted that agreements have been finalised with major high-speed train operators in Spain for seamless connections from various provinces to Madrid, facilitating onward travel to Havana via flights. Key international hotel chains and travel agency management groups have expressed satisfaction with these arrangements, according to Jiménez.
This initiative enhances connectivity with Spain's major high-speed train networks, such as Renfe or Iryo, benefiting regions like Asturias, Catalonia, Galicia, Valencia, and Andalusia. It also streamlines operations for stakeholders, with strong collaboration from hotel companies in Cuba such as Meliá, Iberostar, Blue Diamond, and Kempinski.
ETG has secured agreements with operators interested in travel to Cuba, leveraging its over 20-year expertise as a destination management company, now offering round-the-clock customer support and advisory services in Cuba, including circuit and combined programs.
Accessible Tourism has been a growing focus in Spain for the past six years, stemming from the vision of the late Jordi Paidet, president of Enjoy Cuba, who was passionate about the island. ETG's initiative includes seven-day packages in Havana, showcasing Cuba as one of the most beautiful and accessible cultural destinations in the Caribbean.
The same tour operator offers multi-destination trips from Mexico, where it manages 15 weekly frequencies to the island.
Diego González, president of the Ibero-American Network of Accessible Tourism, acknowledged Cuba's efforts to accommodate travellers with disabilities or reduced mobility, facilitated through initiatives supported by the Ministry of Tourism (Mintur) and related organizations like Aclifim, the National Deaf People of Cuba, and ANCI.