Cuba's tourism revenue rises four per cent

International tourism generated $US1.08 billion ($A1.17 billion) for Cuba in the first half of 2014, an increase of four per cent over the same period last year, the National Statistics and Information Office says.

Cuba earned $US1.8 billion from tourism last year.

The tourism sector is the second largest source of foreign currency for Cuba after the export of services.

In the first six months of 2014, the arrival of foreign visitors grew 3.7 per cent to 1.66 million, compared with 1.59 million during the same period in 2013.

Canada, Germany, Britain, Italy and France remain Cuba's principal tourist markets, while Argentina, in sixth place, is its biggest source of tourists among Latin American countries.

In 2013, Cuba welcomed 2.85 million travellers, which represented a modest increase of 0.5 per cent over the previous year. This year the island nation set itself the goal of attracting more than three million visitors.