Cuba’s apartheid tourism racket is in deep, deep trouble

From our Bureau of Shattered Dreams with some assistance from our Bureau of Dismal Prospects for Cuban Cigar Mammies

Castrogonia’s cigar mammies are weeping and gnashing their teeth as tourist numbers keep plummeting. Castro, Inc.’s harebrained plan of attracting millions of tourists crashed and burned again in 2024 and will most likely fail even more miserably in 2025. Once again Canada wins the Trophy of Ultimate Shame for supplying Castro, Inc. with the highest number of tourists. And Cuban Yo-Yos win the runner-up Trophy of Nearly Ultimate Shame, claiming second place on the list of visitors to the island.

Russians and Mexicans arrived in higher numbers than ever, but that increase was way too small to make a difference, especially because the total number of Europeans shrunk dramatically. Power blackouts, food shortages and rampant epidemics will undoubtedly have an even worse negative effect in 2025, given the fact that Castro, Inc. will not be able to solve any problems whatsoever.

From Cuba Headlines

A preliminary report from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) in Cuba has highlighted alarming figures regarding the performance of the country’s tourism sector as 2024 comes to a close, painting a bleak picture for one of Cuba’s primary revenue streams. The data indicates that the number of international visitors fell significantly short of expectations, showing a decline compared to previous years.

As of November 2024, Cuba welcomed 2,719,259 travelers, which is 95.2% of the total recorded during the same period in 2022, amounting to 137,047 fewer visitors. Of these, international visitors totaled 2,005,390, reflecting a decrease of 92.1% from the previous year, equivalent to 172,451 fewer visitors.

The ONEI report makes a clear distinction between “travelers” and “international visitors,” terms with specific meanings in Cuban tourism statistics. A “traveler” is anyone moving between two or more countries, classified as international if the travel occurs outside their country of residence, regardless of the reason or mode of transport. In contrast, “international visitors” are those visiting a country different from their usual residence for no more than a year, primarily for leisure, recreation, business, or personal reasons, excluding any paid activities in the visited country.

The report details concerning declines from several major tourist markets. Canada, the leading market, recorded 780,119 visitors, which is 94.8% of last year’s figures. The Cuban expatriate community fell to 82%, with 266,625 visitors. European markets such as Spain and Italy saw sharp drops to 73.2% and 83.3%, respectively. In contrast, markets like Mexico and Russia experienced increases of 103.2% and 104.4%, although these gains did not offset the overall losses.

This downturn in tourist arrivals results in reduced revenue for an economy heavily reliant on tourism. Factors such as deteriorating infrastructure, deficiencies in basic services, and reduced competitiveness compared to other Caribbean destinations have been critical. Additionally, diplomatic tensions and restrictive domestic policies have negatively impacted Cuba’s international image as a tourist destination.

The report includes a comparative analysis of monthly arrivals, demonstrating a downward trend since 2021. Despite slight increases in some months of 2023, the annual total fell short of pre-pandemic levels. This negative trend has led the Cuban government to acknowledge that the projected target of 2.7 million visitors for this year will not be met, with estimates for 2025 suggesting a further decline to 2.6 million international tourists.

Tourists have shared their experiences in Cuba, shedding light on the island’s current conditions. In December 2024, a Spanish tourist reported a lack of water and other essential supplies at the once-prestigious Gran Hotel Casa Granda in Santiago de Cuba, highlighting the deteriorating standards.