VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cuba Ventures Corp. (TSX-V:CUV) (OTCBB:MPSFF) (the “Company”) is pleased to announce that the Company’s CEO Steve Marshall has been invited as keynote speaker at the New York Times Travel Show from January 27th to 29th, 2017. This comes after increased media attention for the company in one of the most active States for travel to Cuba in the United States - Florida. Concurrently, Travelucion, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cuba Ventures, recorded its highest ever monthly net sales of over CDN $360,000 in December 2016 to end a strong year in which Cuba received a record number of 4 million travelers up from 2.5 million in 2014. The Company also announces that its advisor Alfredo Manresa will chair the Cuba Investment Summit at Fomento del Treball, Catalan Chamber of Commerce in Barcelona on January 24th, 2017. Mr. Manresa will also exhibit the company at FITUR 2017 in Madrid, Europe’s largest international travel trade fair.
Record Monthly Sales in December 2016:
The Company booked over CDN $360,000 in net sales for the month of December 2016 which is a record for Travelucion. Net sales is calculated as gross revenue less cancellations and refunds. Increased interest in Cuba, along with heightened media attention surrounding the Company’s Cuba centric digital media platform including 432 websites focused upon Cuba, is stimulating these increased revenues. Visitors to the Company’s websites from the United States now represent 36.8% of the approximately 37 million annual page views, up from 6% in 2014.
New York Times Travel Show:
Attracting over 29,000 travelers and industry professionals, the New York Times Travel Show held between the 27th and 29th of January 2017 is one of North America’s most anticipated annual travel events. With over 500 North American travel companies exhibiting, the event promises to garner a hike in exposure for Cuba Ventures and Travelucion through keynote speaker appearances by Mr. Marshall, the Company’s CEO.
Cuba Investment Summit - Catalan Chamber of Commerce, Barcelona:
December 13th, 2016, saw the historic signing of bilateral trade accords between the European Union and Cuba. Spain’s Sol Melia, Iberostar, Barceló and H10 hotel chains control a major part of Cuba’s over 250 hotels, setting the stage for Spain to continue its investment strategies and dominance in Cuba but now with European Union backing and possible funding. The Cuba Investment Summit in Barcelona promises to boost further investment opportunities in numerous sectors of the Cuban economy. Travelucion, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cuba Ventures Corp, headquartered in Spain’s Canary Islands, will be present at the event chaired by Alfredo Manresa, the company’s European advisor and Cuba investment and financial sector specialist.
FITUR 2017 Madrid:
Mr. Alfredo Manresa will attend FITUR 2017 in Madrid from the 18th to 22nd of January 2017. FITUR is Europe’s most popular travel trade fair attracting approximately 230,000 visitors, of which around 124,000 are travel professionals from 165 countries. Visitors to Cuba from Europe continue to grow quickly and these travelers represent a considerable portion of the Company’s annual booking sales through our 68 e-commerce websites in 5 languages.
Cuba Ventures in the Media:
Six major news networks in Orlando and West Palm Beach, Florida, have interviewed Mr. Marshall, CEO of Cuba Ventures Corp, about the rapidly growing interest to visit Cuba from Florida. Enhanced interest for travel to Cuba from Florida is being triggered by Cuba’s proximity to Florida, allied to return flight tickets offered by United, Jet Blue and Southwest Airlines for as little as US $90.
Fox News Orlando
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z9yAsyL3_M
NBC News Orlando
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdZVRBL77pw
Info Mas Orlando (Spanish Language Network)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raySrT_cXFs&t=5s
News 13 Orlando
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FJza6_mWLM
ABC News West Palm Beach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es4Zja7i9-M
NBC News West Palm Beach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLKc8XWLuJQ
About Cuba Ventures Corp.:
Cuba Ventures Corp. is a publicly traded Canadian company capitalizing on the growth and unique opportunities in the USD $3.5 billion per year Cuban travel and tourism industry. Travelucion, a wholly owned subsidiary, is a digital media and marketing company which owns a vast portfolio of Cuba related websites and online portals providing travel information, featuring individual web assets for Cuba's popular cities and towns, online booking solutions and online reservations through proprietary software, catering to international visitors to Cuba. Travelucion's online travel division is a duly licensed retail travel supplier handling millions of dollars in sales annually.
Travelucion's 432 Cuba focused multilingual websites generate over 30 million page-views per year, directing traffic to the company's online booking and e-commerce sites. These online websites cover all facets of Cuba including over 80 travel destinations, hotels & resorts, bed & breakfast, tours, car rentals, restaurants, as well as Cuban culture, history, music, celebrities, sports, medical treatments and more.
Travelucion's revenues have been rapidly growing in the wake of the notable shift in American policy towards Cuba. With diplomatic relations now normalized and restrictions on qualified American travel to Cuba relaxed, opening of the multi-billion dollar travel market to the Caribbean nation is becoming a reality. Travelucion's continued media dominance over the past two decades has provided Cuba Ventures with a competitive advantage in the burgeoning Cuba travel and online media space. With the relaxing of rules for American travelers to Cuba and the potential of further easing, growth and investment opportunities are on the rise in Cuba.
For further information on Cuba Ventures Corp. (TSX-V:CUV) or Travelucion visit the Company’s website at www.cubaventures.com or www.travelucion.com. Cuba Ventures Corp. has approx. 62.6 million shares issued and outstanding.
CUBA VENTURES CORP.
STEVE MARSHALL
______________________________
Steve Marshall
CEO
For further information contact myself or:
Nick Findler
Cuba Ventures Corp.
Telephone: 604-639-3850
Toll Free: 800-567-8181
Facsimile: 604-687-3119
Email: info@cubaventures.com
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information.