Cuba Holidays sent more than 15,000 holidaymakers to the Caribbean nation last year and now hopes to boost the tally by working with agents as Cuba’s relations with the west continue to thaw. It has appointed a trade sales development manager, Alan Meadows, to lead the drive with plans to target the trade from April 21.

The operator, which is run by parent company The Holiday Place, hopes to work with some 1,500 agents and will run a week-long fam for 12 in June.

Meadows told TTG: “Cuba Holidays has wanted to launch through the trade for a number of years and now that’s happening. [It opens] another avenue to us and we want to build up a strong relationship with agents.

“Cuba is the Caribbean without being the Caribbean – it is such a unique country. For its size there is so much to do. Yes, there’s Havana, but you’ve also got the beach resorts and historical locations.”

Meadows said the operator was looking to showcase the country’s casa culture, whereby locals rent out their homes to tourists. “People call it a B&B in the UK but with a lot of these casas, you can rent the whole property and sometimes the owner stays there too and cooks you breakfast.

“It gives you a great chance to mix with local people. A lot of people we speak to prefer it to a hotel and like being able to give back to the locals.”

Meadows addressed the impact the US tourism market could have on the island following President Obama’s historic visit to the country last month, the first by a US president since 1928.

“The destination will change – that’s inevitable.” Meadows said.

“We have seen predicted increases for visitor numbers in November and a lot of Cubans are preparing to welcome the extra tourists.

“The beauty is that it’s unspoilt. We would love for people to experience it before things change.”