So far Cuba has reported 2,219 COVID-19 cases, with 84 deaths. At the same time, there are plans for flights to and from Cancun, Mexico, through Aeromexico, while the Panamanian Copa also studies and evaluates those initial days of June. One where we must decide between the purse (money) or life (the pandemic). Initially traffic will I think be confined largely to family members and business travel. If we can get him or her to pay in advance, event better… There are pressing bank debts, companies that are owed money, and even the country’s stomachs ready to process food or certain medicines. Reading some of the comments in this site made me want to participate. Even though I’ll try just some facts: I understand that some of these places are a little bit in need of repairs,but one has to understand that when one has to manage a limited budget one has to choose between painting a building or providing resources for the population. The Reopening of Cuba’s Tourist Industry, When and How? Benefiting from one of the highest doctor/patient ratios in the world, the Cuban health service has employed dedicated groups of medical professionals to trace, track and isolate COVID-19 cases by going door to door. This is a situation that is too risky to forecast at this moment. Oct 16, 2020, 7:39 PM. Cubana Airlines, meanwhile, will have to wait to fly to London while Prime Minister Boris Johnson decides. From July 3, Cuba reopened to international tourism, but you will have to wait a little longer to visit Havana. And this is no time for improvisation. With active cases now dropping to below 200 from a peak of 800, their efforts are paying off. Hotels have been rigorously reviewing their sanitary protocols in recent weeks. These small private businesses, which receive little domestic trade and rely heavily on money from overseas visitors, have experienced a precipitous decline in income since the tightening of US travel rules in 2019. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. Your email address will not be published. The Cubans “milking” us tourist comment I read is just unfair,not to mention insulting. It will be necessary to wait for the unfolding battle against the virus and what decision the Cuban government takes regarding the safeguarding of its borders against a disease that is still a mystery. Havana and the rest of the country’s mainland towns and cities will also be off-limits to vacationers until phase three. When exactly Cuba will reopen is a constant source of speculation for Cubans. Who would fly Cubana Aviacion when it is possible they might be sub-contracting 39 year old aircraft rented from other countries cowboy outfits? Coronavirus has affected the whole word and Cuba it’s not an exception. If Virgin goes bust, however, there would be a compelling case for Cubana to lease a decent plane for direct flights from the UK. Last week, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero announced that 13 provinces of the country are being permitted to reopen for tourism after the … There is a Level 4 Travel Advisory recommending U.S. citizens not travel to Cuba due to health and safety concerns and COVID-19-related conditions. It will be necessary to wait for the unfolding battle against the virus and what decision the Cuban government takes regarding the safeguarding of its borders against a disease that is still a mystery. At the moment July 1 is the projected date for re-opening airports in Cuba. Required fields are marked *. Almost parallel to President Miguel Díaz-Canel words of “designing the recovery stage,” and pointing out “how we are going to open up tourism, how we are going to open up flights, and from which countries…” there have been more than a few foreign airlines that have announced that they will resume landing on the Island. WIC News Reporter - 11 October 2020, at 8:52 am . © 2021 Lonely Planet. The Spanish Meliá chain which co-runs over 40 hotels across the country has teamed up with inspection and certification company, Bureau Veritas to ensure their facilities are adequately modified for social distancing and hygiene. Arriving passengers will be bussed directly to all-inclusive tourist hotels on Cuba’s outlying keys (islands), namely Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo and Cayo Santa María on the north coast and Cayo Largo del Sur in the south. Private entrepreneurs are hoping for some relief before the end of the year. Cuba is planning to welcome tourists this year © Mark Read / Lonely Planet. But Cuba? COVID-19 has taken a sledgehammer to an already precarious economic situation exacerbated by an ongoing US trade embargo and the demise of Cuba’s once buoyant trading partnership with Venezuela. HAVANA , May 8th At some other time we may have announced the millionth tourist arriving with great fanfare. So national authorities have decided that the best thing is modify the national health rules system for a new era in the leisure industry. I can go on for many pages,but does not make much sense,since I realized that some people are just that : people. The latter will supposedly fly to its destination on Tuesdays to Santiago de Cuba. Cuba reopened its borders on July 1, reopening hotels in the Cayos – Cayo Santa María, Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Coco, Cayo Cruz and Cayo Largo del Sur – to international tourists only. Starting January 1, 2021 ALL passengers will also have to bring a 72-hour negative PCR test in combination with getting tested at the airport. Cuba itself is not the only limiting factor, the regulations applied by other countries being a major factor. When you talk about “milking” you should inform yourself on how this system (ours) works. Cuba is planning to welcome tourists with COVID-19 tests and limit their contact with locals as part of a raft of measures designed to get its vital tourism industry back up and running. A precise reopening date for this final stage has not yet been determined. Peak holiday season in Cuba runs from mid-November to late-March when vacationers traditionally arrive from Canada and Europe. We are all very anxious to travel once again and take advantage of the fact that we are fortunate enough to have some hard earned cash to dispose. Some requisites upon arrival are: Anyone arriving in Cuba will undergo a swab test and temperature screening. I want emails from Lonely Planet with travel and product information, promotions, advertisements, third-party offers, and surveys. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/cuba-reopening-for-travel Many homestay and restaurant owners are hoping that the government will loosen stiff taxes and restrictions that characterize Cuba’s bureaucratic economy. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 will be immediately hospitalised. You should compare prices from other destinations in South Asia and many other destinations in Latin America. They cannot all be wrong in their calculations and projections. These Caribbean countries are reopening for tourists this month, These European destinations have bee named the safest to visit during COVID-19, France will begin to lift travel restrictions on 15 June, Best things to do with kids in Puerto Rico, Greece opens beaches as international visitors return. Would you pay those prices to expend your vacation in a sort of gated community (the resort) because “out there” is dangerous?. Cuba’s plan to reboot tourism after its coronavirus lockdown involves sending tourists to five islands and keeping them separated from locals at all-inclusive resorts. After a full month of work the 15-member jury has given its verdicts in the 11th Havana Times Photo Contest. 16 June 2020. HAVANA TIMES – At some other time we may have announced the millionth tourist arriving with great fanfare. If we’ve learned anything from the past months, it’s that travel arrangements have got to be more flexible. Calm down, I merely asked for a clarification of a point made in the article. While the Global Level 4 Travel Advisory has been removed generally, Cuba itself remains at Level 4. Look up the safety analysis of the different airlines prior to booking – it is your life that is at stake! If the closing was controversial, the reopening will be no less contentious. All rights reserved. A PCR is done at arrival. Air Canada just announced flights starting June 1 to Cayo Coco (Ciego de Ávila), Holguín and Varadero. Copyright © 2021 Havana Times. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. In recent months, shortages and long lines outside shops have become a common sight in Cuban towns and cities. To the exception of Ciego, Sancti Espiritus and Habana, all of the island is now open to tourism. Former President Donald Trump took more than 200 measures to reinforce the decades-old U.S. trade and travel embargo on Cuba, ... Cubans is … Share on Facebook. FLEXIBLE TRAVEL. Note that I have capitalized the word safe,because if you been there a couple of times,you may have noticed that is a fact of life in Cuba; not only for us as tourists,but for the locals as well. I won’t try to explain why some tourists find Cuba a “little” too poor when it comes to the food and the condition of some of the hotels we go to. Thankfully, on the healthcare front, the country has made big strides in stifling the coronavirus pandemic, particularly compared to other Latin American nations. Their plan is, I think, the most creative and, if you ask me, smart way to reopen to tourism and keep their residents safe, all at the same time. At this stage, Varadero, the country’s largest resort, will remain closed to non-Cubans. These Caribbean countries are reopening for tourists this monthThese European destinations have bee named the safest to visit during COVID-19France will begin to lift travel restrictions on 15 June. Initially operating at reduced capacity, resorts will be staffed by bussed-in Cuban hotel workers who will be tested and, if necessary, quarantined at the end of every two-week working shift. Try the one that most of us consume on a regular basis in our “fortunate” countries, paying outrageous prices. But the pandemic shutdown has throttled the economy, and the government … Now we will have to honor the first person to arrive with whatever honors are available: red carpet with government dignitaries and even a Mercedes Benz on the runway, if that’s what it takes. Brazil Culture Minister Criticized for Downplaying Military Rule, In Cuba, It’s Communism or Nothing or Both, US-Cuba Relations, a Matter of Domestic Policy, Attacks on the Press Now Routine in Latin America, Cuba Faces Two Blockades as People Awaken, OAS Sees Another Electoral Fraud Brewing in Nicaragua, Peruvian Authorities Threaten to Seize Documents on Corruption Reporting, Thirteen Things We Need to Discuss in Cuba, Nicaragua Needs More Deeds and Fewer Words, Israeli Forces Attack Palestinians Protesting Expulsions. Another fact of life you might missed is that the airlines ( I mean ours) are the ones deciding the price we pay to go there. Time will tell. By. International tourists will be welcomed in phase two (roughly scheduled to start at the end of August) but will face several caveats. Initially, Cuba’s small regional airports will only be open to charter flights from overseas and tourism will be limited to specific resort enclaves. After 6 months of lockdown Cuba reopens its borders to international tourism as it moves towards a “new normality”. Outside of government-run resorts, casas particulares (homestays) and restaurants will have to wait until phase three before they can reopen to foreign travellers. The truth is that it is not known when airports will reopen. The tourism industry has been a thriving business in Cuba and the nation is now planning to restart tourism once again. Like other Caribbean islands, Cuba is highly dependent on tourism. The Reopening of Cuba’s Tourist Industry, When and How? There are normally a variety of ways to fly from the UK to Cuba using reputable airlines. Despite the rest of the Caribbean being open to tourism from all countries right now, Cuba has always been a special case. Almost all of Cuba will reopen, even for indépendant tourism. Tweet on Twitter. Cuba officially reopened to international tourists, including Canadians, on July 1. Sorry, but no word at all on that for the moment. Cuba became very cautious about dangers of reopening its borders to international tourism in nowadays universal pandemic conditions. With only one COVID-related death recorded since 30 May, the Cuban government has announced tentative plans to reopen for tourism, the country’s second-biggest money-earner after healthcare. Tourism is the main pillar of the nation’s economy amounting to over 10% of GDP. All rights reserved. If you are not ready to plan your next trip, we can also issue a credit for the full value of your trip, redeemable until December 2021. Cuba will partially reopen its capital city, Havana on July 3, Friday Prime Minister Marrero Cruz reportedly said on Wednesday night. Notwithstanding, without foreign visitors, countless small operators, from taxi drivers to room renters, face acute financial hardship and could go out of business. This fact suggests that airlines don’t appear to be very wrong about the possibility of starting to fly starting in June. Cuban government has made major efforts in order to stop the spread of Coronavirus, without a … The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2021 Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the 50 best places to visit in 2021. Cuba to reopen tourism from next week, claims to control COVID-19. There’s been an avalanche of requests for landing ‘slots,’ according to an aviation expert friend of mine. From Madrid, a tour operator friend of mine says that Evelop and Air Plus Ultra are already heating up the engines for the same date in June. People can go to hotels, casas particulares or their family's house. Cuba will reopen operations to international tourism in several of its nearby keys as of next July 1 within the progressive post-COVID-19 plan of de-escalation that started this Thursday in all the island’s territories, except for the provinces of Havana and Matanzas. Methinks you credit the Castro regime with capitalist capability. Have you ever realized how little you pay to be in a tropical country? As of a few days ago, Cuba had reported slightly over 2,200 confirmed cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus and 84 deaths. COVID-19 has seen business dry up altogether. OK you meant Cubana Airlines. The resumption of tourism on the Island will be, aside from the metaphors, a rare and unique decision, one where the public health authorities, regardless of urgent political or economic interests, will decisively intervene. As a result, the authorities are keen to encourage travellers back to the country’s resorts, beaches, and colonial towns as soon as possible. The Cuban government says that in recent months it has focused … The reopening will be split into three phases with the first phase – touted to begin in late-June – allowing Cubans to travel domestically around the country for the first time since March. In hotels, special health clinics will regularly monitor guests in case of illness. Yes, Virgin out of Gatwick was the easiest one, but there are many others, for example, internal airports like Edinburgh, Manchester, Newcastle to Paris or Madrid then on to other reputable safety conscious airlines. COVID related restrictions remain in place in Cuba. Your email address will not be published. Save. A calm and far-sighted projection should prevail. Now, you can book your dream trip to Cuba, and if you need to change your travel dates, just let us know by 60 days before departure, and we’ll change your booking without any penalty or … The reopening will be split into three phases with the first phase – touted to begin in late-June – allowing … Get inspired to travel everyday by signing up to our daily. Former President Donald Trump took more than 200 measures to reinforce the decades-old U.S. trade and travel embargo on Cuba, largely unraveling former … Have you ever considered how SAFE you are in Cuba? Travel requirements to visit the Island. With only one COVID-related death recorded since 30 May, the Cuban government has announced tentative plans to reopen for tourism, the country’s second-biggest money-earner after healthcare. Cuba reopens its cays to tourism, but Cuban-Americans will not be able to visit for now By Mario J. Pentón, Miami Herald 7/2/2020 Atlanta shootings: A victim of … As of December, the rest of Cuba, including Havana, reopened. Perhaps one of the measures taken will be the controversial Covid Free health passport, one where a visitor who arrives will be required laboratory tests with no less than three PCR studies, in addition to quarantining. From neighboring Miami, there is little to expect since that city has the double virus: COVID-19 and the Trump Virus-20. Greetings from Toronto. Cuba has reopened for tourism on July 1, 2020, starting with select areas like Cayo Coco. The food in these cheap places is not up to your standards?. The truth is that it is not known when airports will reopen. At airports, all arriving travellers will be given mandatory PCR (swab) and temperature tests. Any bookings made between March 17, 2020 and March 31, 2021 will be able to be rebooked by emailing info@cubatravelservices.com or calling (800)963-2822. 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