Cuba Aims to Reposition Itself as a Leading Tourist Destination
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January 21, 2026 Hour: 1:07 pm
The Caribbean country is working intensively to recover its European market.
On Wednesday, Cuban Tourism Minister Juan Carlos Garcia explained at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid that his country is seeking to recover its European market, especially Spain, to regain its position as a leading tourist destination in the Caribbean.
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Cuba currently faces economic and energy crises exacerbated by the reduction of air routes and the U.S. blockade, which affect services and the experience of international visitors. This reflects in the drop of tourists from 4.7 million in 2018 to 1.8 million in 2025.
Garcia recalled that Cuba was once a preferred destination for Spaniards and Europeans, and assured that the country is working intensively to recover that market, highlighting safety as an advantage over other American destinations.
Regarding the energy crisis since August 2024, he pointed out that tourist resorts such as Cayo Coco and Cayo Largo have their own electricity generation, which avoids dependence on the national grid and guarantees continuity of services.
Garcia also indicated that Cuba is developing solar energy through photovoltaic parks across the island, seeking sustainability to strengthen tourism infrastructure and improve the visitor experience.
Garcia explained that efforts are underway to increase air connectivity with Europe, offering more flight options to Cuba, which would facilitate tourist arrivals and bolster the sector’s recovery.
He acknowledged that tourism’s performance in 2024 was negative, which impacted the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and foreign currency earnings, both crucial for the Cuban economic recovery plans.
Meanwhile, the United States sanctions are part of a campaign that destroys Cuban tourism. Garcia cited U.S. President Donald Trump’s elimination of cruise ships, which resulted in the loss of 800,000 American visitors in 72 hours.
Therefore, Cuba competes in a more complex environment compared to other Caribbean destinations, due to the U.S. blockade, which forces the island to constantly reinvent its tourism activities to sustain its main economic engine.
teleSUR: JP
Source: EFE
