Cuba Tourism Shows Promise With Possible Embargo Shifts

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.
"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.

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.

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.

Will Obama Election Change Travel Habits?

According to the folks at Travel Weekly, the recent presidential election may have positive implications for the travel industry beyond just Chicago, Washington and Hawaii. The article suggests the jubilant international reaction to Obama's election may be reason enough for American's to start pond-hopping once again. It's no secret that Europeans have, by and large, held a negative perception of the current administration. The article posits that the thought of a warmer Old World welcome might send previously skeptical Americans winging their way towards Europe.

Analysts are already predicting that inbound international tourism, especially to Obama-specific destinations such as Chicago, Washington and Hawaii, could see an increase.

But judging from the reaction overseas on election night, the reverse may also be true, as strained relations with European "frenemies" begin to thaw.

U.S. travelers, perhaps reluctant to travel to France, the U.K. or Germany during the last few years for fear they wouldn't be warmly welcomed, may now be eager to cross the pond and bask in our new international popularity.

Unfortunately for tourism boards and airlines, the economy isn't too vacation-friendly for most people right now. For the thirteen or fourteen of us that still do have jobs (does this really count as a job?), falling gas prices will also mean cheaper airfare. So get out that piggy-bank and start counting your pennies... fancy cheese, beer steins and really old buildings are just a plane ticket away.