Cuba’s tourism plummets 62% after US pressure and energy embargo
Summary
Cuba's tourism dropped by 62% in the first seven months of 2026 compared to 2025. This decline happened after the U.S. increased pressure on Cuba with sanctions, including an energy embargo and restrictions on financial and airline services.Key Facts
- From January to July 2026, about 419,000 tourists visited Cuba, down from 1.1 million in the same period in 2025.
- The drop led to many hotels, hostels, beaches, shops, and tourist attractions having very few visitors or closing.
- President Trump imposed a strict energy embargo on Cuba starting January 2026.
- The U.S. also froze accounts and blocked some Cuban companies from using the U.S. financial system.
- Major hotel chains like Meliá, Iberostar, and Royalton ended their contracts with Cuba.
- Visa and Mastercard stopped supporting payments in Cuba.
- Airlines such as World2Fly, Air France, Turkish Airlines, and Iberia stopped flying to Cuba because planes could not refuel there.
- Before the crisis, tourism was very important to Cuba’s economy, bringing about 4.3 million tourists in 2019 and generating around $3 billion yearly.
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