Tour operators believe that the US travel embargo of Cuba could be lifted in
the wake of this week's announcement that Fidel Castro is stepping down -
ending a “golden era” of tourism to the Caribbean island.
Companies say that Castro's departure is likely to combine with a more open
approach to the island after November's presidential elections. This could
bring an end to the US travel ban. The embargo has been in place since
Castro took charge in an armed revolution 49 years ago and introduced
communism. The effect has been to keep mainstream Westernisation out of the
country.
But this week each of the main Amertican presidential contenders - Hillary
Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain - said that they would consider a
softer approach towards Cuba, but only if political prisoners were released.
Obama said that the US “must be prepared to begin taking steps to normalise
relations and to ease the embargo of the past five decades”.
News of Castro's departure on Tuesday had an immediate effect on tour
operators, with people booking trips to see the country before it changes.
“It's been mad,” said John Faithfull, of Trips Worldwide, a Cuba specialist.
Bookings with the company have risen by a third since Castro's last public
appearance 19 months ago.
“It looks likely that the embargo will be reviewed and relaxed under a new US
president. It's not a question of that happening immediately, but it could
happen in a year or two,” he said. “When the embargo is over, I'm not sure
where Cuba will find the beds to accommodate its new guests.”
Cheapflights.co.uk reported that searches for Cuba have increased eight-fold
this year compared with last, with 43,984 enquiries. This week it was
attracting as many as 900 website hits a day.
A spate of new five-star hotel openings, some in former colonial mansions, is
already attracting more upmarket tourists. The Saratoga in Havana, the
capital, the Iberostar Grand Hotel in Trinidad, and Royal Hideaway in
Ensenachos have been especially popular.
Vesella Baleva, product manager for Cuba at Cox & Kings, said: “The end of
the embargo would make it touristy. There's a charm now as it's not crowded
with Americans. These are the golden years.”
Virgin Atlantic began flying to Cuba in 2005 and holiday bookings increased by
a fifth last year. Cheapest fortnight packages cost as little as £871 from
Cosmos Holidays.
Details: Trips Worldwide
(0117 3114400), Cox & Kings
(020-7873 5000), Virgin Holidays
(0844 5573859), Cosmos (0871 4238560)
Yeah, like Brit's and other Euro thrash are wonderful tourist. Give me a break, let the political prisoners out and let Cubans go to the hotels and beaches in their OWN country.
Ozzie, Burlington,
These are the golden years? are you mad? it has not been golden for the people that live in the island, they have been through hell for 49 long years, do you realize how insensitive that sounds! please
Vana, Rialto, USA
"Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain - said that they would consider a softer approach towards Cuba, but only if political prisoners were released.
Obama said that the US “must be prepared to begin taking steps to normalise relations and to ease the embargo of the past five decadesâ€. "
The summary of these statements as presented in the article that a softer approach is forthcoming fails to take into account that the Helms Burton Act codified the embargo and has a list of criteria that must be met in order for the embargo to be lifted. This list includes subjective issues including releasing "political" prisoners, having free and elections, and a free media. I could certainly see the US holding on to its cold war hat trying to define which prisoners are "political" versus criminals; what constitutes free elections; and defining a free press. The most liberal candidate wants to allow family travel which was taken away in 2004. That is far from from normalization.
Tom, Pound Ridge, NY, USA