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Last update: 10:05 am am and, kill May 6, 2025
The number of Canadians taking advantage of Varadero’s beaches or dancing cha-chas in Havana night boxes has decreased sharply in the first quarter of 2025. According to the National Statistics Office in Cuba (ONEI), tourism from Canada dropped by almost 30 % in January, February and March. Arrivals from Russia, Spain and Italy have also retreated.
The causes of this decline seem to be linked to the economic difficulties of the country, according to several experts. “The reality is that the situation has deteriorated significantly since the early 1990s, when the Canadians began to visit the island massively,” Cuban economist Ricardo Torres Pérez told CBC.
“The crisis has affected the quality of services, the state of infrastructure and caused frequent power outages,” he added, also stressing the problems of waste accumulation in the streets.
Tourist hotels and complexes have generators, which reduces the impact of breakdowns on travelers. Nevertheless, staying in an illuminated establishment while the surroundings are immersed in the dark does not correspond to the idea that tourists of their holidays are made.
“How to sell an image of lightness, fast and joyful getaway, in this context?” “Wonders Andrés Pétierra, analyst of the Cuban situation, who lived two long power cuts in Havana.
-Cap on China
To compensate for the drop in European and Canadian visitors, Cuba is now on China to relaunch its tourism industry.
“It is not a secret for anyone that our country, and in particular the tourism sector, crosses a difficult economic situation,” said Cuban Minister of Tourism, Juan Carlos Garcia, on the occasion of the very first tourist show in the country, that Cuba hopes to renew each year. This first edition was dedicated to China.
According to Reuters, the number of Chinese tourists in Cuba jumped 50 % in 2024, in particular thanks to the direct flight from Air China between Beijing and Havana, with stopover in Madrid. Although it is a 24 -hour journey, the link is a certain success. In addition, Chinese visitors do not need a visa to enter Cuba, which facilitates their stay.
The authorities hope that by diversifying their customers and focusing on the huge Chinese tourist market, they will be able to attract new foreign investments and strengthen the attractiveness of the island.
