In June 2017, President Trump announced a moderate change in U.S. policy towards Cuba. For U.S. travelers seeking to experience Cuba, “tourism” is technically unlawful but there remains a wide scope to explore Cuba and comply with U.S travel rules. Unfortunately, Cuba is the only country in the world where travel restrictions apply to U.S. … Read more
President Donald Trump last week began symbolically undoing some parts of his predecessor’s historic opening to the island nation. The new measures included tighter restrictions on travel and a prohibition of financial dealings with entities tied to Cuban military and intelligence services. U.S. citizens may still travel to Cuba, and, in fact, U.S. airlines are … Read more
It must have been Chad Olin’s thirst for a thousand tedious impediments – plus a good dose of Cuban rum and cigars – that led to his taking a road less traveled and not following the rest of his classmates into a traditional career in investment banking or consulting. What started out as an idea … Read more
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and has 40% more coastline than Florida – so it’s not going to be spoiled overnight. But there is some truth to the notion that’s its changing in ways that are irreplaceable. RELATED: Cuba: Is the Whole Country Photoshopped? It makes a difference that Cuba is the … Read more
Cuba’s distinction as the latest travel novelty has had only a modest impact on the rich urban and rural scenes available for travelers’ camera lenses. But things are changing, and thanks to Cuba’s long history and cultural complexity, travelers can still time warp to the previous century and capture a bit of nostalgia. One enterprising … Read more
Recent media attention about growing pains in Cuba’s tourism sector misses the nuance about the real costs of traveling to Cuba and the important impact that travel is having on Cubans themselves. For travelers, lower costs are making the island nation more appealing – plus the ways to create great experiences and make memories are … Read more
If you are a lifelong learner and prefer immersive travel over tourism, Road Scholar is the best way to experience Cuba. Road Scholar was founded in 1975 as Elderhostel originally designed for week-long, university-level educational experiences for adults. A not-for-profit education organization, it has guided generations of knowledge seekers on transformative learning adventures from Greenland … Read more
Since 2011, when President Obama allowed the resumption of travel to Cuba for U.S. citizens, Americans began flocking to the once-forbidden island under the banner of “people to people” travel, the most popular of 12 categories of authorized travel. When the U.S. and Cuba restored diplomatic relations in December 2014, the flow of American travel … Read more
What started out as an idea to organize a tour of Cuba for some fellow Harvard students morphed into starting a tour company, CUBA CANDELA, after graduating from Harvard Business School. It must have been Chad Olin’s thirst for a thousand tedious impediments – plus a good dose of Cuban rum and cigars – that … Read more
When Peggy Goldman fell into a chance 36 years ago to organize a journey to Israel for 200 Holocaust survivors, her lack of experience in the industry didn’t deter her ambition to transform lives through the power of travel. That serendipitous event resulted in the founding of Friendly Planet Travel and ultimately Peggy’s early connection … Read more
