Latin America
Related: About this forumAlmost 48,000 international visitors arrived in Cuba between June and July
In addition, the Cuban community abroad contributed 210,019 international travelers and residents on the island added 431,580 flights, bringing the total number of these travelers in that period to 1,929,286 people.
by OnCuba Staff OnCuba Staff August 22, 2023
Cuba received 1,489,286 international visitors between January and July, 178.4% more than in the same period of 2022, reported the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI).
According to the latest cut, the figure is almost 48,000 visitors in June and July. The main issuing countries are Canada (630,041), the United States (99,012), Russia (87,509), Spain (48,762), Germany (41,878) and France (36,549), all with year-on-year increases of between 115 and 240%, according to official statistics.
In addition, the Cuban community abroad contributed 210,019 international travelers and residents on the island added 431,580 flights, bringing the total number of these travelers in that period to 1,929,286 people.
Tourism, the Cuban economys main driving force, is key to the economic recovery of the island, which has been suffering for more than two years from a serious economic crisis with a great shortage of basic products (food, fuel and medicine) and high inflation.
More:
https://oncubanews.com/en/cuba/economy/almost-48000-international-visitors-arrived-in-cuba-between-june-and-july/
18 Of The Unquestionably Best Beaches In Cuba 2023!
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The Hicacos Peninsula is commonly referred to as Varadero
More:
https://theworldbyhege.com/best-beaches-in-cuba/
Marcus IM
(3,001 posts)Only isolated from US gov't travel banned Americans freely visiting.
Next thing ya know they'll be telling us that the only cars in Cuba are 1950's Fords and Chevys.
sinkingfeeling
(52,993 posts)Grey
(1,581 posts)We spent 2 weeks in Cuba 12 years ago and I would say half the people we met were from the US. Some came in through Canada and many more traveled through Mexico. They would charter small planes or there were what they called Ferries. Smaller Boats that made regular trips between Cuba and Mexico. These people had no problem booking in to any of the resorts or hotels. When we arrived we had to ask the customs officer to stamp our passports. We had to convince them that Yes, we really wanted a Cuban stamp.
We spent the first week at the Havana Hilton, where that Robert Redford movie was filmed. The second week we were at a resort, the only place we were told not to travel to was Gitmo.
I cannot over state how much we enjoyed the whole trip.
sinkingfeeling
(52,993 posts)were told Americans were not allowed to stay in the beach resorts, because Americans could not be there strictly as a tourist on vacation. I went on a "people-to-people" tour. (Trump didn't close down Cuba until June 2019). When I was there, American cruises were still going into Havana.
This year, it's back to certain restrictions.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/how-us-travelers-can-visit-cuba
American citizens are not currently allowed to stay in Cubas government-run hotels or use most state-owned enterprises. Instead, its best to opt for private accommodation such as apartments, B&Bs and homestays (known in Cuba as casas particulares). Airbnb has lots of listings of accommodations that are open to US citizens.
US law states that US citizens can only travel to Cuba on a general license based on one of 12 different approved categories, which include family visits, educational and religious activities, public performances and exhibitions, and the vague sounding 'support for the Cuban people.' Licenses are self-qualifying (theres no long-winded paperwork), but youll be asked to state your category of choice in a signed travel affidavit when booking travel to Cuba. More details are available online from the US Treasury.
Grey
(1,581 posts)but the people we talked with laughed when asked about the restrictions. It was all "ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies".
I can only tell of the people we met and their experience.
I do hope more people get a chance to visit Cuba, It is just lovely.