Eastern Holguín province is one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations on the largest Antillean Island, thanks to the region's natural attractions.

The dynamic expansion of Cuba's tourist sector, after becoming one of the key elements in the island's economy, has led local authorities to design a development strategy that goes beyond traditional destinations such as the City of Havana and Varadero.

Other Cuban destinations boasting enough attributes to become hot spots for international tourism play a major role in that expansion strategy in the leisure industry. That is Holguín's case.

The province has over 2,300 rooms run by Cuba's major hotel groups (Cubanacán, Gaviota and Islazul, among others), which have created a broad infrastructure for leisure.

Eight beach zones, several keys for tourism, natural parks and extra-hotel options complement Holguín's offer for the dynamic leisure industry in the province, which is visited by thousands of foreign vacationers every year.

Forty excellent beaches, including Guardalavaca, Estero Ciego, Esmeralda and Don Lino, just to mention some, welcome travelers.

White sand, pleasant temperature and exuberant vegetation of coastal bush, forests and mangroves create an offer that vacationers visiting the province cannot refuse.

Those who love ecological tourism can enjoy the singular attractions of the areas near Sierra Cristal, where unique exponents of Cuba's flora, such as palm trees, coconut groves, tropical fruits, ferns and timber forests, are present.

Divers can visit Tanque Azul de Caletones, a flooded cavern that is located under the most important corridor of migratory birds in the region.

The foundation of the city of San Isidoro de Holguín, the provincial capital, is linked to Don Francisco García de Holguín, who, along with his wife, founded the first settlement in 1545.

Two centuries later, Holguín became the fourth city in the country to obtain that condition, since by the time it had a population of 1,200 and 200 rustic houses, in addition to a public school.

In 1863, the region had 76 sugar mills, 750 tobacco plantations and hundreds of rustic farms where the main labor force was made up of African slaves, a clear sign of the development of the territory.

All these elements have turned the province into a stronghold for tourism, with short- and medium-term programs that include the expansion of the region's hotel infrastructure.