After decades of trade embargos, economic relations between the United States and Cuba could see a shift in coming months. Although the Obama-administration has said publicly it intends to maintain the embargo, there has been some discussion of reducing restrictions on Cuban-Americans visiting family members. Some high-ranking officials within the Cuban government have voiced desires for an easing of the current tourism restrictions as well.If the U.S. liberalizes tourist travel to Cuba, the country is ready to receive the visitors, said Cuba Vice President Carlos Lage in a statement from Prense Latina, the state news agency.Despite the U.S. travel embargo, Cuban tourism has been on the rise in recent years with travelers from Canada and Western Europe making up the bulk of visitors. While there are no significant changes slated for the trade embargo, it is nice to see how far the world has come since the Cuban Missile Crisis. And in this case, any news is good news for classic-car buffs, baseball fans and jazz enthusiasts (Ed. Note: Don't forget cigar aficionados.) the world over.
"Our tourism and our people are ready. It's barbaric to prohibit a citizen from visiting his family," said Lage, referring to the 46-year-old U.S. travel embargo.
Tourism to Cuba has grown 10.7% this year over 2007, reaping more than $2 billion in gross revenue and employing more than 300,000 people. It is Cuba's second-largest source of foreign income, behind nickel production.
The government has no plans to delay a $185 million plan to upgrade more than 200 resorts and build 50 boutique hotels by 2010, Trujillo reported.
If you're considering a Cuban vacation, be advised... Americans are not forbidden to set foot on Cuban soil, but the U.S. government continues to restrict its citizenry from spending money in the communist country, as it has since 1961. This has proven an effective deterrent to the development of large-scale tourism from the U.S., though individuals have quietly been visiting Cuba (via third countries) for years.
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2 comments:
What is barbaric is to deprive citizens of their human rights as the Cuban government has done for the past 50 years! What is really barbaric is to keep political prisoners in jails that provide much less than human conditions simply because they do not share the political views of an abusive governmant, because they write or state their position, or because they had access to a computer. Sure they would like to receive US tourists, so they can have more access to US dollars to use towards further depriving the Cuban citizens of their rights! Shame on Cuba and shame on anyone that does not condemn the abuse and/or lack of human rights that Cuba imposes on it's own citizens!!
I visited Cuba twice as a child and loved it and am ready to visit again as soon as it opens for U.S. tourism. Great news! A more open state and economy will bring fresh winds of change to that country - M.L.
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