Morales: Flow of foreign tourists to Bolivia increased by 141 percent

LA PAZ, Bolivia – Bolivian President Evo Morales announced that the flow of foreign tourists increased by 141 percent in eight years.

During his speech to the nation before the Parliament, Morales explained that Bolivia received 524,316 tourists in 2005 with a balance of US$355 million; while 1.2 million travelers visited the country in 2013 with US$525 million of revenue.

In 2005, there were 1.9 million national vacationers with an income of US$360 million in 2005, while the figure rose to 2.6 people in 2013, leaving US$546 million.

Morales said that these statistics were surprising as they show that in the past the Japanese did not visit Bolivia and now, only 30,000 of them reached Uyuni.

On public health, Morales revealed that the budget to expand and improve the public health services in Bolivia, was increased from 2005 to 2013, by at least 476 percent.

He said that in the recent eight years, 758 modern public health establishments were built in different regions, to widen the service covering, especially in rural areas.

In 2005, 6 million medical consulting sessions were reported. In 2013, the number was increased to 11 million.

Infant malnutrition was reduced from 32 to 17 percent in eight years and the childbirth covering was increased up to 12 per cent.

On the Mi Salud Program in Bolivia, Morales said he expects the home service is given 24 hours a day soon.

With the cooperation of Cuban doctors, a total of 675,746 free eye surgeries were carried out as part of the Vision Now eye surgeries in Bolivia.