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Article: Cuba makes a slow welcome to the world.
- Article from:
- The Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX)
- Article date:
- June 21, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 The Dallas Morning News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Tracey Eaton
CAYO LARGO, Cuba _ This pristine island off Cuba's southern coast has what you might expect: 17 miles of unspoiled beaches, eight hotels and a cozy marina.
What's surprising is what Cayo Largo doesn't have _ namely, native Cubans. Not a single Cuban lives on the island full time. Cubans work here in 20-day shifts, serving the thousands of foreign tourists who visit every month, then returning to their hometowns for 10 days.
Cayo Largo is an example, albeit extreme, of how Cuba would like to run its tourist industry, analysts say. Everything is tightly controlled, crime-free, almost Disney-like. And virtually all tourism ...