The Cuban authorities expressed interest in attracting more Chinese tourists to visit the Caribbean island, as the 25th International Tourism Fair of Cuba opened in Havana Tuesday.

Cuban Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero stressed that the number of Asian vacationers, especially from China and Japan, is on the increase.

Havana considers it as a strategy to take more actions in the market, Marrero said at the opening ceremony of the fair.

China and Cuba signed a memorandum of understanding in 2003, allowing Chinese travel groups to visit the Caribbean country.

Cuba is the first nation in the Western Hemisphere to gain the Approved Destination Status from the Chinese government.

More than 1,700 travel operators and specialists from 48 countries attended the annual tourist fair which will last through Friday.