Several people enjoy a day at the beach in Havana, Cuba on October 6. Photo: IC

Cuba is expecting the country's tourism industry to rebound in November as its high season starts, the country's Minister of Tourism Juan Carlos Garcia said Tuesday.

As nearly 90 percent of the country's population has received at least one dose of a homegrown coronavirus vaccine, "the Caribbean nation is gearing up to receive international travelers under COVID-19 safety protocols," Garcia said at a news conference.

"Medical teams will guarantee compliance with coronavirus rules at hotel facilities," said Garcia.

Many of the stiff regulations imposed on incoming travelers are being eased, such as quarantine of arriving foreign visitors, according to the Cuban Ministry of Tourism.

As of November 15, international passengers flying into Cuba will be able to enter with vaccination passports or certificates issued overseas.

Unvaccinated foreign visitors will have to present a negative PCR test taken less than 72 hours prior to their arrival. Children under 12 will not be required to show COVID-19 PCR tests or vaccination passports when visiting Cuba.

The Caribbean nation received more than 1 million foreign travelers in 2020, far less than the 4.2 million tourists it accommodated in 2019. So far in 2021, less than 200,000 foreign travelers have visited Cuba's seaside resorts, according to official figures.

Well-known as a beach resort, Cuba is the Caribbean's second most popular vacation destination. Before the pandemic, the island's tourism industry accounted for about a tenth of the country's gross domestic product. The tourism high season in Cuba runs from November through April.