Havana, Cuba.- Experts and tour operators from all over the world are focusing their attention on the international nature tourism event to be held in Cuba this year.

The 12th edition of the International Nature Tourism Event (Turnat 2019) scheduled for September 23-28 in three provinces, with main venue in the southwestern Zapata swamps, is currently a meeting point of experts who aim at nature as a recreational modality.

Cuban authorities constantly reiterate their commitment to nature tourism, said the travel agency Ecotur spokesperson, the main organizer of the meeting and part of the Ministry of Tourism (Mintur).

That is the case that with the realization this year in the western and central region (Matanzas, Cienfuegos and Sancti Spiritus) takes off again this reason for travel.

Nature and adventure tourism, along with the rural or agrarian ones, constitute modalities of reinforcement for the travel industry not only in Cuba, but in most countries.

Turnat is held every two years in a different place in this country, and has already travelled from west to east, although in a first stage it was carried out annually.

The first meeting of this kind, Turnat 2000, was held in Viñales, in Pinar del Rio, the westernmost in Cuba. The second event was in the central-southern province of Cienfuegos in 2002, as the one scheduled for 2001 was cancelled due to the threat of a cyclone.

In 2003, the event moved to the eastern province of Granma and a year later to the Sancti Spiritus power plant, with repetition in Pinar del Rio in 2005 and in the most eastern part of Cuba, Baracoa (and the first village founded by the Spaniards), in 2007.

Until that year, the frequency was annual, when the organizing committee decided to hold the meeting every two years thereafter, and in 2009 to have the Cienaga de Zapata headquarters in the south-west, and in 2011 in Villa Clara, Cienfuegos and Sancti Spiritus power plants.

For 2013 the event is organized in the eastern province of Granma and in 2015 returns to Pinar del Rio. In the 2017 edition the venue was the Cuban Middle East, with Holguin and Baracoa in the center.

The goals of these meetings are to foster and enhance nature tourism in Cuba from the possibilities of a very beautiful and well preserved geography, with numerous protected areas and natural parks, the organizers recalled.