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Fulgencio Batista was a bit of a dictator himself, so it's not like Fidel was the first. With U.S. Government and Mafia help, Cuba was Vegas before Vegas...our little playground so-to-speak.
Apparently, Cuban nationalists didn't like the idea of that. I'm guessing Americans wouldn't like Trump and the Mafia teaming up with Russia to make the U.S. a playground for Eastern Europeans.
Likewise, I don't know why anyone would spend valuable money and time to go to Disney or be cooped up on a cruise ship. Diff'rent strokes.
I went to Cuba on Spirit last January - the flights there/back from FLL were about 30% full. It's just going to take a long time for the routes to catch on due to confusion about the OFAC rules and the lack of tourist infrastructure. The airlines that stick with their routes to Cuba are making a long-term investment.
I loved every second of the trip (Havana, Vinales, Cienfuegos and Trinidad) - friendly people, music everywhere, amazing art, cheap mojitos, being disconnected from wifi and social media.
Luckily, 90 percent of American tourists are not coming back. Trump, take the flag off the malecon, you are hurting the image sold to progressive Canadian tourists!!
Unfortunately, even though other countries had rather normal relationships with Cuba, the USA has used extensive bully tactics to keep other countries and foreign businesses from fully trading with Cuba. There have been numerous foreign companies that complained over being denied the ability to engage in commerce with US companies simply because they also sold goods to Cuba. The US needed this pressure otherwise, the voids would easily be filled by others and the US embargo would essentially be worthless. The Us felt if american companies can't freely sell to Cuba, nobody else will get that open opportunity. So sad.
The US gov't saved billions in unpaid debts to American companies. Ask Russia and Spain, etc.
It was Sunwing we went down with but stayed in a Cuban hotel not a resort. I looked up the Casa Particular when we came back for maybe next time. I would love to go to Trinidad and Ceinfurgeous (spelling) unfortunately all the flights there seem to go out of Pearson and not Calgary. Maybe someday will use Air miles to fly to TO, visit family and fly south. At the airport the only checking you out is to see if you can stand on the right spot when they are taking your photo. The only crabby person I met as well.
Our one day bus tour went to Pinar del Rio where we toured the bottling plant for the liquor, I forgot the name and to lazy to go to the cabinet and look it up but had been requested to buy a bottle for my brother and after tasting it I could see why. I forget the name of the local pop but it was better than ginger ale or 7up and half the price of Coke.
I thought that last year Cuba received more than 4 million tourists. To put things in perspective, Dominican Republic is the most popular destination in the Caribbean and last year they received just shy of 6 million tourists.
As it stands, Cuba is probably the second or third most visited country in the Caribbean.
The source of the tourists in Cuba is almost all Europeans and that alone makes it different from Mexico (overwhelmingly American and Canadian tourists). Dominican Republic is a more or less even mix of Europeans and Americans/Canadians. Puerto Rico, Bahamas, and Jamaica are the remaining tourism giants in the Caribbean, and all three of them get more than 90% of their tourists from the USA.
Once Cuba's American tourist numbers go up, it will easily become the leading destination in the Caribbean.
The real number is unknown, probably 3.000.000. If you discount Cuban-Americans, much less. Canadians, I believe Canadians hold the largest number but they are decreasing fast.
Now Cuba is in fashion, but in a year or two things will return to normal. Not a country for Americans, they are used to higher standards. Hope that Trump ends Bwana's marketing campaign, American flags are destroying the image of the country and even if American presence is testimonial, the place looks less authentic.
In normal, capitalist conditions, Cuba would receive most of the tourists in the area, but they would ruin the place.
All Americans you find in Cuba look sort of progressive, not mainstream. Once they visit once, they won't return....even less with a strong embargo under Trump.
wait until some major all inclusives open up people will be there in larger numbers.
I think the airlines all jumped on routes and there is currently to much supply relative to demand that will change over time
look at Cancun. a dinky town in 1970 and now a top ten international airport in the world, it will take time and not all travelers are as adventurous. When disneyfied experiences start to take off so will come more flights
Plus I need Johnny Ollas bar/place to open up from the Godfather - then will be there...
They can't. Cancun is capitalist. No foreign resorts in Cuba, all are state owned and some are managed by foreign chains, some are managed by the army. I don't think they will alow that bar. The best are Gaviota's hotels, Cuban 100 percent but I don¡t think that americans will like Cuban roaches and Chinese air conditioners. The Godfather died recently, no jokes allowed.
Likewise, I don't know why anyone would spend valuable money and time to go to Disney or be cooped up on a cruise ship. Diff'rent strokes.
I went to Cuba on Spirit last January - the flights there/back from FLL were about 30% full. It's just going to take a long time for the routes to catch on due to confusion about the OFAC rules and the lack of tourist infrastructure. The airlines that stick with their routes to Cuba are making a long-term investment.
I loved every second of the trip (Havana, Vinales, Cienfuegos and Trinidad) - friendly people, music everywhere, amazing art, cheap mojitos, being disconnected from wifi and social media.
Disney World? People travel from all over the world to go to Disney World, especially if you have kids! As far as going to Cuba, I think it's more families traveling there to visit relatives then touristst travelers seeking the culture.
And the situation in Cuba is unusual because you had two markets artificially separated by over a half century of political estrangement, so no one really knew just what the demand for flights would be. At any rate, this is how businesses work. A market opens, numerous businesses begin operating therein, and some of those businesses invariably are out-competed.
That's how business operates. Successful enterprises close certain stores and outlets and offices all the time, while other operators are thriving in the same areas where the closings are taking place.
Canadians are disappearing from Cuba, as they hate the US they get pimples when they see American flags everywhere. I believe this year they decreased a 20 percent. What investments, Sherrit?, not yours but the state, and after the state an American company, and after the American company a private individual. Prices of the roach motels they go went up tremendously.
I don't know why Trump is waiting so much. Those charters will close down in less than a year.
Pretty nasty and arrogant comments by you all around. Even if there is a 20 percent decrease in Canadian tourists that is still about 800K per year making Canada by far the largest source of tourists to Cuba by national origin. Some of the hotels are crappy I will admit but not all. The point of going to Cuba is to have fun. Its a cheap vacation and Cubans are a riot. I love Cuba - I also love to travel and just explore new cultures/countries and people. I've stayed at Hostels, Hostals, Pensions, Airbnb's, budget hotels, mid-range hotels and luxury hotels throughout the world. I've flown Coach and I've flow Business class. Not everyone 'has' to have one standard all the time. Some of the most interesting experiences you can have is when you get off your 'high' horse, let your hair down and have fun with people who aren't always at the upper echelon of 'taste' - zzzzzzz boring!. I'd recommend being a l'il less 'caustic' and judgemental about whole swaths and groups. It would do his majesty a world of good.
Last edited by fusion2; 03-15-2017 at 04:08 PM..
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