Struggling period encourages tourism reinvention in Cuba
Taking a Swing at Cuban Tourism
Over the past few years, Cuba's tourism sector has been hit with a series of setbacks, with the U.S. sanctions taking center stage. Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the President of Cuba, addressed these issues during his visit to the 43rd edition of the International Tourism Fair (FitCuba 2025).
"The policies the United States is enforcing against us are nothing but aggression," Díaz-Canel stated. "Cutting off tourism and preventing people from traveling to other countries means chopping off cultural ties between nations."
Beyond the sun and beach, Cuban tourism includes options like health tourism, community tourism, and agroecological tourism. The President emphasized the importance of sustainable tourism, focusing on economic, social, cultural, and environmental aspects.
Despite the challenges, FitCuba 2025 showcased Cuba's innate ability to adapt. The country arrived at the fair with over 80,000 updated rooms, offering new tourist possibilities. Díaz-Canel expressed confidence that the sector will recover, backed by the talent and effort of the Cuban people.
Meanwhile, the presence of China as an invited guest at FitCuba 2025 has proven crucial for the fair's success. The interactions between the two countries have resulted in cooperation agreements focusing on the development of tourism in Cuba, fostering the growing influx of Chinese tourists.
The strategic relationship between Cuba and China, built on respect and mutual trust, has been unwavering for 65 years. Despite complex international situations and internal issues, the two countries continue to flourish, with diplomatic and political exchanges, as well as shared principles.
"This edition of FitCuba was dedicated to China," expressed Díaz-Canel. "The fact that a powerful nation like China has this relationship with a small island like Cuba demonstrates that we are building a shared future community."
Dai Bin, the President of the China Tourism Academy, pointed out the growing trend in tourism between the two countries. Between 2010-2019, tourism from Cuba to China experienced an average annual growth of 10.1%, and in 2024, more than 48.6% of Chinese tourists visited the island. Efforts to make Cuba the main air hub between China and the Caribbean are ongoing, along with the development of leisure and vacation tourist routes.
The 2025 edition of Cuba's official tourism magazine, Sol de Cuba, was also relaunched during FitCuba. The magazine aimed to offer fresh content about Cuban tourism products and destinations, as well as advertising opportunities for both tourism-related and non-tourism-related companies.
Pushback from U.S. Sanctions
The U.S. sanctions have created a tough landscape for Cuba's tourism industry:
- Cruise Ship Ban: President Trump's 2019 ban has led to a drastic reduction in tourist arrivals from the U.S.[1]
- Flight Disruptions: The discontinuation of flights by several airlines has constricted travel options for tourists.[1]
- Financial Limitations: Strict U.S. regulations complicate financial operations for companies like Airbnb, leading them to suspend payments to Cuban hosts due to the complexity of regulations.[3]
- Global Supply Chain Challenges: Sanctions limit Cuba's access to essential goods and services needed for tourism infrastructure maintenance and development.[2]
Collaboration with China Offers Hope
Amidst the hurdles, Cuba's partnership with China presents a ray of hope:
- Visa-Free Travel: Cuba has implemented visa-free entry for Chinese tourists, aiming to attract more visitors from this booming market.[2]
- Direct Flights: Establishing direct flights between China and Cuba eases travel for Chinese tourists.[2]
- Health Tourism: Cuba is aiming to become a health tourism hub with the assistance of Chinese medical partnerships, as unveiled during the 2025 Cuba Salud conference.[2]
- Economic Diversification: China's involvement can help Cuba diversify its economy, reducing its dependence on Western markets and easing the impact of U.S. sanctions.[2]
Despite the promising partnership, Cuban tourism faces challenges such as aging infrastructure, fuel shortages, and complex exchange rates.[1][2]
- President Díaz-Canel Bermúdez highlighted the significant impact of the U.S. sanctions on Cuba's cultural ties, stating that restrictions on tourism mean severing these connections.
- Cuba and China's strategic relationship has been instrumental in overcoming challenges in the Cuban tourism sector, as demonstrated by China's attendance at FitCuba 2025 and cooperation agreements focused on tourism development.
- Beyond the usual sun and beach attractions, Cuba's tourism offerings include health, community, and agroecological tourism, which the President emphasized as essential for sustainable tourism development.
- The growing trend in tourism between Cuba and China, with an average annual growth of 10.1% from 2010 to 2019, has brought attention to the development of leisure and vacation routes and efforts to make Cuba the main air hub between China and the Caribbean.
