Cuban authori-ties report tourism revenues rose 12.8 per cent in 2011, returning to levels from three years earlier as the key sector recovers from losses due to the global financial crisis. In an undated report posted recently on its website, the National Office of Statistics said tourism income was $2.5 billion in 2011, compared with $2.2 billion the previous year. In all, the island hosted 2.7 million visitors, up seven per cent from 2.5 million in 2010. Tourist arrivals continued to increase in recent years despite world financial difficulties, but travellers began spending less money, delivering a hit to one of Cuba's main sources of foreign income along with nickel mining and remittances. The $2.5 billion figure is about on par with tourism income from 2008. The report also said overall international trade in goods and services increased 24.7 per cent last year to nearly $32 billion. That included $6 billion in exported goods.
