government may give green light to the first set of golf course developments

That number is down from two years ago, when Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero announced plans for up to 16 golf courses.

Plans for four golf resorts collectively worth greater than $1 billion you will need to go. Last summer, Cuban officials concluded negotiations with four foreign consortia ?a that have formed joint ventures with Cuban state company Palmares S.A. ?a and last fall, the federal government published some regulations regarding foreign property ownership and also ping g15 irons the visa status of foreign property owners. As outlined by people close to the process, other pending regulations remain holding up the projects.

Officials have been mute around the issue of golf developments since last summer.

Commitment towards the growth and development of golf [in Cuba] is strong, said the pinnacle of a Britain-based golf consortium in February. It's now something of when. As it's a crucial innovative strategy within the progression of tourism in Cuba, it is important to get it right, which needs time, said Andrew Macdonald, CEO of Esencia Group, inside a company website article.

Among the four golf resort projects entered limbo last fall, when Cuban police force arrested the key of Coral Capital Group Ltd., which have planned to build a resort just east of Havana, and closed discount golf clubs the company's Havana office amid an analysis into corruption. Neither the company nor government entities has created any announcement concerning the investigation. Coral's Website continues to be under construction since October.

In Cuba's tourism diversification strategy, Trujillo also announced offers to build several recreational areas, marinas and auto race tracks. He failed to elaborate.

We desire to make that happen Cuba is not only seen as sun-and-beach destination, Trujillo said in the press conference in the Hotel Nacional in Havana, that was also simulcast to foreign reporters in Santiago, who were covering the visit of Pope Benedict XVI.

He also said Cuba is intending to add 25,000 resort rooms on the existing 58,000 ones by 2020. The modern construction is going to be funded both with foreign and Cuban capital, he said, without elaborating. Until recently, practically all hotel construction was financed by foreign investors.

Trujillo highlighted continuing expansion of tourism in the island. Next year, the number of visitors grew 7.3 %. He was quoted Taylormade R11 irons saying revenue growth lagged since 2008, due to world economic crisis. However, tourism revenues are making up ground, rising 11.9 percent next year and 12.2 percent in the first quarter this year, faster compared to the number of visitors. Visitor growth in the first quarter with this year, he said, was around 4 percent.