The potential of Cuba for US travel agents

1.) Cuba is a well-established destination for Europeans and Canadians selecting a safe and enjoyable Caribbean holiday:

· Between 1990 and 2001 the annual number of visitors to Cuba increased from 340,000 to 1.8 million. Over 50% of Cuba’s visitors are from Europe.

· The number of Canadians traveling to Cuba has grown by an average of nearly 15 percent a year for the last five years. In 2001, Cuba was the most popular Caribbean destination for vacationers from Canada, drawing 350,000.

· Cubana Airlines has established 27 tourism offices in Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. They maintain good relations with tour operators and are linked with 21 airlines that serve Cuba.

· Eleven European cruise ship operators visit Cuban harbors, including the cruise ship Mistral of the Festival Company (with a capacity of 1600 berths).

· Today, there are over 40,000 hotel rooms available in Cuba, 37,000 ranked four or five-star and managed by internationally recognized companies like Sol Meliá, Iberostar, Gran Caribe and Cubanacán. Cuba's master plan calls for 150,000 rooms. Accommodations range from all-inclusive luxury resorts to home stays in licensed Casas Particulares (bed-and-breakfast in private homes).

· “Beautiful beaches, outstanding value, friendly people, safety, and vibrant culture, have made Cuba among Canadians' top vacation destinations.” Trip Central < http://www.tripcentral.ca >

2.) Cuba offers visitors unique opportunities to explore sophisticated historical, cultural, educational, sporting and medical interests:

· Havana, the largest city in the Caribbean, is Cuba’s political, cultural, and economic hub. The old town contains the finest surviving Spanish colonial complexes in the Americas. Millions of dollars have gone into scientific restoration work since La Habana Vieja was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.

· Every city and major town offers special and intriguing attractions, including historical monuments, centers for the arts, museums, and some of the oldest colonial churches, and residences.

· Cuba is world renowned for its Latin dance and music: son, salsa, rumba, jazz, as well as classical ballet, modern dance, and symphony.

· Cuba is a world-class venue for many professional conferences, seminars, and workshops.

· Foreign students are able to take Spanish and other intensive academic courses in Cuban universities.

· Visitors are welcome to attend Cuba’s many Catholic and Protestant churches and to witness the electrifying ceremonies of the Afro-Cuban religion, Santeria.

· Cuba’s advanced health care system is available to visitors at a reasonable cost. Medical statistics are similar to those of industrialized nations.

3.) Cuba has tremendous potential for the US travel industry as a nearby, multi-dimensional destination:

· US travel sanctions on Cuba has not stopped readers of the upscale US magazine Travel and Leisure from picking Cuba as their favorite island in the Caribbean, Bermuda and Bahamas, in the July 29 World's Best Awards Readers' Survey issue. AFP  7/28/03

· Cuba has in general a very low crime rate. The Cuban people are open, friendly, and very welcoming toward Americans. English is widely spoken and the US dollar is legal currency.

· Cuba can become the number-one destination for Americans in the Caribbean. The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) estimates that Cuba could attract 1 million U.S. visits within the first year. A study by The Brattle Group estimates a potential market of 2.8 million Americans annually.

· Last year despite complex license procedures, 200,000 Americans traveled to Cuba legally; 110,000 of them Cuban-American. As many as 60,000 more risked traveling without a license.

· The total impact of lifting the US restrictions on travel to Cuba can be measured as the combination of increased demand for air and cruise travel. US economic output would expand annually by $1.18 billion over time. This expansion would create from 16,888 to 23,020 new jobs. (The Brattle Group study for the Center for International Policy: <http://ciponline.org/cuba/travel/cuba.final.pdf> )

· Cuban tourism operators are encouraged to implement cooperative promotion campaigns. All-inclusive vacations, yacht-charter programs, full-service scuba diving centers, fly drive vacations, ecotourism, and incentive travel receive high priority. The strategy gives a strong emphasis to developing multi-destination vacations hand-in-hand with neighboring islands and foreign tour operators.

· Niche travel opportunities for individuals and groups abound:

Academic Agriculture Antiques Archaeology Art History Art Architecture Artist Workshops Aviation Baseball Beaches Bicycling Bird watching Black Heritage Botany Butterflies Cave Art Chocolate Cigars Coffee Conservation Crafts Cruising Culinary Arts Culture

Dance Dolphin Research Ecology Ecotourism Environment Education Ernest Hemingway Family/Reunions Festivals Fishing Foliage Gardening Golf Government Multigenerational Heritage History Health Hiking Honeymoons Horticulture Languages Literature Marine Biology Meetings/Incentives

Metaphysical Military History Museums Music Nature Painting Performing Arts Politics Photography Rail/Trains Ranches Rock Climbing Rum Scuba Diving/Snorkeling Spas Spirituality Shopping Spelunking Sports Theater Vintage Cars Wilderness Lodges Wildlife Viewing Writing Workshops Yachting

Source: American Society of Travel Agents' Cuba Travel Specialist Course, by Sue Wilder, CTC

4.) Approximately two-thirds of Americans, 60% of Congress, and a majority of Cuban-Americans are in favor of ending travel restrictions. The only obstacle that stands in the way is the minority of Cuban-Americans who are pro-restriction and their allies in the Congressional leadership.

· Cuban Americans are 4% of the U.S. Hispanic population, or .5% of the total US population.

5.) Most Travel agencies are independent small businesses. They are well-connected within their communities. The economic benefit they will receive from being able to book travel to Cuba must be seriously considered by the local offices of Representatives and Senators.