HAVANA, Cuba (Xinhua) — Cuba’s famous beach resort of Varadero is preparing itself for more tourists with three new hotels, a water park and an 18-hole golf course, among other projects.

With white-sand beaches kissed by clear turquoise waters, Varadero is visited by more than a third of foreigners who come to Cuba.

In 2015, 1.35 million tourists visited the resort, a 14.2 per cent increase compared with the previous year.

Canada is the main source of tourists to the Caribbean resort, followed by Germany.

Varadero is located on the Hicacos Peninsula, which offers diverse recreational attractions, such as catamaran tours, sport fishing, scuba diving and excursions.

Seaside resorts are key to the development of Cuba’s tourism industry, the island’s second-largest foreign currency earner after the export of technical and professional services.

Since 2012, the island has registered a steady increase in visitor arrivals, which has made seaside resorts one of the most important growth engines for the Cuban economy. Tourism is a strategic sector in Cuban leader Raul Castro’s reform plans to revive the country’s economy.