In an effort to revive the struggling tourism industry, the Cuban government will host the Paradise Rainbow Festival at the Memories Paraiso Hotel in Cayo Santa María, Villa Clara province, from August 19 to 25, 2024. According to news portal Travel Trade Caribbean (TTC), the event will feature a week of parties, shows and fun-filled events “celebrating love in all its forms.”
The program of the event includes an opening Rainbow Fantasy show themed on drag queens and interactive games with a prize of a “week-long hotel stay for two adults”. Paradise Rainbow Festival will also feature pool parties, themed breakfasts, a carnival to choose the star of the event and a Cuban-themed afternoon.
Rafael Villanueva, sales director for the Blue Diamond hotel chain, confirmed to the TTC that the event reaffirms the company’s commitment to revamping its offerings in Cuba under the Resonance brand. Villanueva said the chain plans to open hotels with the brand in both Varadero and Cayo Santa Maria, with an emphasis on attracting a younger clientele over the age of 18, highlighting the administration’s desperate efforts to promote Cuba’s criticized tourist destinations at all costs.
A new concept to attract young tourists
Villanueva explained that there will be two concepts: “Music,” which will target young people looking for entertainment, animation, unique parties and an international DJ calendar — a demographic that may never have visited Cuba before; and “Blue,” which will target people looking for health, yoga and relaxation, which Villanueva said will be “very innovative in the country.”
Last January, the Cuban regime and Galician businesses announced they were preparing the island’s first “large-scale LGBTI festival,” to be held in the summer in the upscale resort of Cayo Santa María, confirming the government’s drive to salvage the tourism industry. The dictatorship has chosen the location as a place to hold events that will bring in quick cash, and now it’s the turn of Spartacus, an LGBTI festival touted by Spain as a moment of “music, art and inclusion,” reported local newspaper La Voz de Galicia.
The project is being organized by the Arousan company Turidobe and will take place from July 31 to August 4. According to sources, it will be an unprecedented event on the island. “In addition to the Cuban spectators, we expect about 3,000 visitors from abroad, from all over Latin America and from Spain,” explained Xavier Álvarez Pombo, one of the four owners of a travel agency based in Villa Garcia.
Important Details About Cuba’s Paradise Rainbow Festival
If you’re planning on attending or learning more about Paradise Rainbow Festival, here are some answers to some frequently asked questions.
When is Paradise Rainbow Festival?
The Paradise Rainbow Festival will take place from August 19th to 25th, 2024.
Where does the festival take place?
The festival will take place at Hotel Memories Paraiso in Cayo Santa Maria, Villa Clara.
What activities are planned at the event?
The event will feature activities such as a rainbow fantasy show, pool parties, a themed breakfast, a carnival and a Cuban-themed afternoon.
Who is organising this festival?
The festival is organized by the Cuban government and the Blue Diamond Hotel chain and promoted by Travel Trade Caribbean.
