VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cuba Ventures Corp. (TSX-V:CUV) (OTCBB:MPSFF) (the “Company”) is pleased to announce that the company’s CEO was invited to Capitol Hill Washington DC by pro-Cuba congressman Adriano Espaillat and Engage Cuba lobby group. Steve Marshall has also appeared on multiple TV and Radio interviews over the last two months, most notably with RT News, Uptick Newswire and NY1. The travel division of the company also had a very strong month in January, usually Cuba’s low season, of $260,000.
Monthly Sales in January 2017:
The Company booked over CDN $260,000 in unaudited net sales for the month of January 2017, which is a January-monthly record for Travelucion. Net sales are calculated as gross revenue less cancellations and refunds.
Tim Fernack, Cuba Ventures’ CFO stated: “This year's sales show an increase of 15% of last January’s net booking revenue of $232,748. 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.”
Capitol Hill Washington DC - Congressman Adriano Espaillat
Mr. Marshall was invited to Capitol Hill on March 2nd to discuss business in Cuba and further opportunities for new U.S companies wishing to follow; Google, Starwood Hotels, Carnival Cruises, American Airlines, Jet Blue and, many other U.S companies, are already present in Cuba. Cuba Ventures proposes to work with the congressman’s office to formulate a proposal to take business-focused constituents from the New York district of Congressman Adriano Espaillat to Cuba later this year. The Cuba Ventures business consulting unit will handle any introductions and post-visit negotiations. The initial fact-finding trip hopes to bring numerous businesses from New York to Cuba. The fact-finding trip promises to be one of many future trips undertaken by businesses looking to create commercial synergies with Cuba.
“Engage Cuba” pro-Cuba Business Lobby Group - Capitol Hill Washington DC
Mr. Marshall was invited to the offices of “Engage Cuba” (www.engagecuba.org) to discuss the opportunity of assisting U.S businesses with their entrance into the Cuban Market. The Engage Cuba Foundation (ECF) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization affiliated with Engage Cuba, a leading coalition of private companies and organizations working to end the travel-and-trade embargo on Cuba in Washington, DC and around the United States. ECF staff works on U.S.-Cuba policy research and educational materials, as they organize policy seminars, conferences, and leadership programs across the country. Mr. Marshall, CEO of Cuba Ventures, offered his ongoing support to assist “Engage Cuba” with its mission to increase dialogue between the U.S Congress and businesses eager to capitalize on Cuba’s growing economy.
Cuba Ventures in the Media
Cuba Ventures CEO Steve Marshall Interviewed on RT news:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWGQzJbwiS8&t=10s
Cuba Ventures CEO Steve Marshall Interviewed on NY1 New York (Espanol)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seUbU45FWwo&t=2s
Cuba Ventures CEO Steve Marshall Interviewed on Uptick News:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6ww5L7iM7k
Steve Marshall Keynote Speaker at the Oxford Club event, Coral Gables Florida
One of the world’s most respected investment groups, The Oxford Club, held a pre-departure event at the Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables, Florida on Feb 08 2017. The seminar consisted of 35 of the club's members who were present to talk about the increased opportunities presented by Cuba in the fast moving commercial sector. The Members embarked upon a fact-finding trip to Havana, Cuba on 09 Feb 2017. Steve Marshall, CEO of Cuba Ventures Corp, offered insight into the rapidly expanding Cuban market. Marshall, who has worked in Cuba-related businesses for two decades and lived on the island for 12 years, shared his knowledge with Club members and investors. Since the group's return from Cuba, Mr. Marshall is following up with those members interested in taking the next step via formal business proposals.
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 opening up and restrictions on qualified American travel to Cuba relaxed, the 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.
Cuba Ventures consulting division harnesses over 60 years of combined advisor experience in submitting and, obtaining approval, for joint ventures, joint production agreements, and import/export permits for foreign enterprises. More recently the company has taken a royalty approach for future agreements between third parties anxious to begin commercial operations with Cuba and, the company’s Cuba Consulting Unit.
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. The Company has 72,412,487 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.