Marc Frank

HAVANA, Reuters – Cuba will open its borders to tourists next week, opening up new opportunities for travelers who are sick from the pandemic. However, U.S. citizens must jump through hurdles in order to get there, say eight heads of U.S. travel agencies.

Donald Trump, the United States President, ended all cruise ship dockings and reduced flight to Havana. He also eliminated flights from outlying areas. Because they are owned by the military and make financial transactions more difficult, Trump’s administration made most Cuban hotels and bus tours unreachable. These measures remain unchanged under President Joe Biden.

Michael Zuccato of Cuba Travel Services said that the U.S. obstructions are what have made Cuba a more attractive place to do business for over 22 years.

Tensions are rising between Washington and Havana ahead of the protests by island dissidents for Nov. 15, which is the day Cuba opens its borders to foreign visitors.

The challenges are endless at the moment. Mayra Alonso is president of Marazul Tours. She said that Trump, the pandemic, and now Biden are just a few examples. It is interesting to walk the fine line between U.S. regulations and Cuban regulations, she said.

Zuccato shared the same sentiments as the other travelers, saying that booking hotel rooms and transfer funds to the Caribbean islands were major hassles for Americans planning to visit Cuba.

Biden’s campaign promises were believed to be kept by many tour operators. This is an island that has a wealth of history, culture and white-sand beaches.

Collin Laverty from Cuban Educational Travel stated that the U.S. sanctions, which were increased by Trump but maintained by Biden’s administration, are “a huge disappointment.”

According to tour operators, rising tensions between long-term enemies ahead of the protests scheduled for next week are not helping.

According to Eduardo Rodriguez (Transport Minister), Cuba is still open for American citizens who want to visit the island.

According to him, “Today, the United States only has four weekly flights into Havana. We have increased that to 147 per Week, including 77 from Havana.”

U.S. Airlines have added flights to Havana starting next week with an eye on Cuban-Americans returning home during the holiday season.

However, the Biden administration is not indicating that it will allow flights into the provinces.

Tom Popper, founder and former president of insightCuba and CEO of 82° West Consultants, a Cuba business consulting firm, said despite strict travel restrictions to the neighboring island nation, Americans can still go there legally.

    “Typically, the U.S. market sees Cuba as a binary choice: either they are permitted to travel to Cuba or they are not, which depends on the most recent actions by the sitting U.S. president,” he said.

    Popper explained travel to Cuba is allowed under 12 categories including the Support for the Cuban People category, used by most travelers – journalistic activities, and visiting relatives.

    He said many tour operators and travel advisers design trips that are compliant with U.S. regulations. 

The detente of former President Barack Obama, who relaxed restrictions and took his family to the country during a historic 2016 visit, saw travel boom.

Trump’s policies were reversed and new restrictions were added. Cuba also closed its borders in the midst of the pandemic.

According to Cuban officials, around 500,000 Cuban Americans traveled home each year between 2018 and 2019.

However, travel by nonCuban Americans plummeted from 498.538 in 2018 after Trump’s Trump administration imposed new sanctions to just 58.547 in 2020, as pandemic lockdowns were implemented, according to the government.