Haiti is back on the tourist map, or at least try to regain the title of the "Pearl of the Antilles", because in 2015 it received about 515,000 tourists, 10.9% more than in previous years, according to figures from the Organization Caribbean tourism (CTO, for its acronym in English).
This is a figure that shows the giant step taken since January 2010, when a powerful earthquake devastated the country and left it in ruins and 200,000 people.
While it is true that he still has to return to being the "Pearl of the Antilles", as it was known in the 50s, today Haiti is slowly get rid of the black image I had during the dictatorship of Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier and his son Jean Claude "Baby Doc" and aspires to be again.
Now, political instability could again bring gray clouds the poorest country in the Americas.
In this new wave of tourists has helped, says in a statement to Efe, Samuel Dameus, communications director for the Ministry of Tourism, the creation of a training school for tourism-related and construction of hotels with international standard services, something a few years ago they did not exist.
Currently the country is able to provide 5,000 rooms of international standard, he says.
To this we must add, as Dameus, increased investment in tourism by the private sector.
"Right after the earthquake we had no ability to get a lot of people today if. We have many projects under construction to further improve and move towards the development of tourism in Haiti, "said ministry spokesman.
Communications director, however, recognizes that there is still much work to be done in the field of infrastructure and the services sector.
The progress, however, is a fact.
The increase of tourist infrastructure we must add the fact that the city of Cap Haitien, where the Citadel Laferrière, the largest fortress in the Americas and World Heritage Site by Unesco, has a new international airport.
Also keep in mind the opening of tourist offices of the Haitian Executive in the UK and the neighboring Dominican Republic-and in the future in the United States, or reshaping the international airport in Port au Prince, whose central building track and broke with trembling.
In addition, last year the country appeared on several lists of various magazines and industry publications as a destination to visit.
Another factor that has helped this is slightly off the northern port of Labadee, which has been leased by the cruise company until 2050 and therefore must also pay thirteen dollars annually for tourist who arrives there the Haitian government.
Given that their boats can accommodate up to 6,000 people, it is a strong entry into the Haitian treasury.
But several opposition protests during the political crisis the country experienced in January was forced to cancel its cruises scale for three days, a sample of what the political uncertainty is able to achieve and scuttle.
Etant Dupain