Business Insider publishes an annual ranking of the best Caribbean Islands. This year, Cuba ranks #1. Business Insider Distance from NYC: 3 hours and 35 minutes Average hotel room cost: $124 per night Cuba’s unique architecture, ’50s-era Chevy taxicabs, and sandy beaches have been just out of reach for American tourists until recently. Years of US embargo have … Read more
Cuba is gaining influence as a trending destination in the Caribbean as various industry players reshape their regional travel schedules. The most recent example of cruise industry changes is the announcement by Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) that it decided drop its Grand Bahama stopover in favor of newly awarded Cuba approval for its 2000-passenger ship, … Read more
In Cuba, artist Yoan Capote says, “the sea is a symbol for hope, but it’s also a symbol for a trap, for tragedy.” Applying thousands of nails to plywood to create a series of seascapes, Capote’s hands were bloodied, yet there is a benthic quality to the works that conveys both beauty and treachery to … Read more
The collapse of the Soviet Union hit the Cuban economy severely. The island nation lost approximately 80% of its imports, 80% of its exports and its Gross Domestic Product dropped by a third, virtually overnight. Entirely dependent on fossil fuels to operate, the major buttresses of Cuban society – its transport, industrial and agricultural systems … Read more
On January 12, 2017, the U.S. and Cuba signed an agreement to further normalize the evolving migration relationship. Under the agreement, the Department of Homeland Security ended the Cuban Medical Professional Parole (CMPP) Program. The CMPP program was terminated along with the wet foot/dry foot policy for Cubans. Cuba agreed to accept the return of … Read more
A new hotel in Old Havana will be operated by Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group. When construction is complete later this year, the Gran Hotel Kempinski Manzana La Habana will be Cuba’s first five-star hotel (on the European rating system). The hotel will occupy the historic Manzana de Gómez building. The grand structure, dating to 1890, … Read more
Navigating the rough diplomatic waters between the U.S. and Cuba has gotten easier since Obama and Castro established diplomatic relation in 2015, but the actual sea that separates the two nations has been a long-standing source of cooperation. Maritime Navigation Officials from Cuba’s charting agency traveled to Maryland and met with National Ocean Service representatives … Read more
The U.S. embargo against Cuba remains in place – it can only be removed by U.S. Congress – yet former President Obama used executive authority to modify certain aspect of the embargo including importation rules for goods produced by independent Cuban entrepreneurs. Goods and Services Eligible for Importation from Cuba In accordance with the policy … Read more
Since the 1960s, the U.S. has maintained an embargo against Cuba through various laws, regulations, and presidential proclamations that restricts trade, travel, and financial transactions. Key legislation related to the embargo includes the following: • Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917 (TWEA). TWEA granted the President broad authority to impose embargoes on foreign countries … Read more
Habanos S.A., the distribution and marketing arm of Cuba’s state-owned cigar industry, said recently that it expects to immediately gain 25-30% of the U.S. premium cigar market if the U.S. lifts its trade embargo – and up to 70% within a few years. History Cuba’s once dominant position in the world’s cigar market (rolled tobacco) diminished … Read more
