Cuba to Welcome Tourists Again by November 15
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While the US embargo harshly limits trade with Cuba, the country depends on boosting tourism by November 15.
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As the country struggles under US embargo, it depends heavily on flows of foreign currency.
Cuba is about to open its borders and lift entry requirements in November after having vaccinated the majority of its people with homegrown COVID-19 vaccines. Cuba's widespread vaccination campaign has allowed it to welcome back travelers, giving a boost to its struggling tourist industry.
US' pandemic restrictions imposed by Donald Trump slowed the tourism business: A steep reduction in flights to Cuba and a US ban on most travels to the island were in effect, in addition to travel bans to other islands like the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Cancun.
Nonetheless, as of November 15, a visit to Cuba will only require a vaccination proof or a recent PCR, replacing one of the strictest protocols in the Caribbean, which involved a quarantine period and several PCR tests.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently reviewing Cuba's homegrown vaccines, but among countries of more than 1 million inhabitants, Cuba is the fastest in vaccination.
The government says the pace was very beneficial, with COVID-19 cases and deaths decreasing at least 80% since their peak mid-summer. 90% of the population has received at least one dose of one of the country's homegrown vaccines.
According to Reuters, Tourism Minister Juan Carlos Garcia stated this month that people will “be able to visit relatives and go on vacation” and that economic activity will definitely improve.
Cuba received more than four million tourists in 2019, generously contributing to the country’s GDP. But, this year, just 200,000 guests have visited the country, and only another 100,000 are expected, Minister Garcia said.
Ricardo Torres, a Cuban economist, said those numbers meant a "devastating" 92% decline in tourism this year, compared to 2019.
While the US embargo harshly limits trade with Cuba, the country depends heavily on flows of foreign currency and basic goods that travelers and the Cuban diaspora bring to the island.
The Varadero beach resort is already partly open, and life is gradually returning to the colonial district of Havana as it prepares to welcome visitors after a 19-month break.
Owners of restaurants complained of the absence of tourists for a long time, but today, the situation is different and promising. Restaurants are packed with Cubans and enjoy their old lifestyle, waiting for the visitors to come back soon.
