The 25th Cuba International Cigar Festival has grandly opene

Mexico City, February 24th (Xinhua) -- Today, the 25th Cuba International Cigar Festival, eagerly awaited by cigar enthusiasts, kicked off in Havana. This globally renowned cigar industry event brings together over 3300 cigar manufacturers, distributors, tasting experts, and experienced enthusiasts from 110 countries and regions, creating a lively and extraordinary atmosphere on site.

Cuban cigars, with their rigorous selection of raw materials and meticulously crafted production techniques passed down from generation to generation, stand out in the global tobacco market and have become an important pillar industry of the Cuban economy. They are also a shining business card for Cuba's cultural exchanges with foreign countries. Carlos Luis Jorge, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment of Cuba, sighed in his opening speech: "The cigar industry not only brings considerable economic benefits to Cuba, but also carries Cuba's century long history and culture, and is a vivid embodiment of the Cuban national spirit

The sales data released by Havana Tobacco Company, the organizer of the Cigar Festival, on the opening day was impressive: in 2024, the company's global sales exceeded historical records, reaching $827 million, achieving a strong growth of 16% compared to 2023. Jorge Perez, Commercial Vice President of Havana Tobacco Company, specifically mentioned in analyzing the reasons for growth: "The strong demand in the Asian market, especially in China, has become a key driving force for our sales growth. The pursuit of high-quality cigars by Chinese consumers has brought us broad development space

This year's Cigar Festival lasts for 5 days and will host a series of exciting activities, including in-depth analysis of cigar tobacco cultivation, on-site display of manual rolling techniques, and cigar culture tasting lectures. Attendees will also have the opportunity to visit cigar factories and tobacco plantations in person, experiencing the craftsmanship of Cuban cigars from the fields to the fingertips, and fully appreciating the unparalleled unique charm and profound cultural heritage of Cuban cigars.