Two direct flights to Cuba from two UK airports will launch next month.
The flights will connect Gatwick with Cayo Coco, an island just north of mainland Cuba, and Manchester with Holguín, a city to the east of the country.
The Gatwick-Cayo Coco flight is scheduled to begin operating on Sunday, May 5, while the Manchester-Holguín route is due to start on Friday, May 10.
A spokesperson for the Cuba tourist office said the new services will “make it easier for travellers to enjoy Cuba’s vibrant culture, beautiful beaches and rich history”.
They added: “The new air routes represent an excellent opportunity to promote tourism between the two countries.
“We are confident that this new direct travel option will be well received by travellers eager to explore the attractions that Cuba has to offer.
“We look forward to welcoming all travellers wishing to discover the wonders of Cuba from the UK.”
The flights will be managed commercially by tour operator Iron Travel and operationally by TripLatam.
Iron Travel has selected Spanish company Euroairlines Group for the distribution of its new routes. It will have access to a network of travel agencies, OTAs, aggregators and consolidators based in more than 60 countries provided by the Spanish airline.
William Ruano, Iron Travel commercial manager, said: “This is an amazing opportunity to see this part of the island which has long been popular with UK tourists and is famous for being one of the most beautiful areas of Cuba, with stunning beaches and some amazing new hotels that had recently opened. We are very happy to have appointed Euroairlines Group for our distribution system across the UK market.”
Martin Johnson, chairman of Lata, said: “Cuba is well-known for the vibrant city of Havana and its culture, but the country has other fantastic spots for UK travellers to explore.
“The addition of two new flight routes from Gatwick to the island of Cayo Coco and Manchester to the city of Holguín will provide visitors with the opportunity to discover the lesser-known side of the country.
“These new routes demonstrate the country’s commitment to growing the UK market and I look forward to working with our Lata members in Cuba, and our specialist UK tour operators to showcase this diverse country to the UK traveller.”