An update on the effects of the improving Cuba US diplomatic ties: Under Barack Obama’s announcement on December 17, 2014, the US and Cuba seem to be on their way to increasing US Cuba diplomatic ties. Finally, this will make it easier for Cuban immigrants to the US to visit their families, and will of course help increase American tourism to the island.
The United States is still working out the details about how it will set up embassies, trade, and other diplomatic matters. This means that your travel plans for the island will have to wait until the Cuba and the US governments decide on their mutual travel and trade agreements. It seems that Cuba is getting ready to get its piece of American tourism though.
A major show of the effects of improving Cuba US diplomatic ties: Airbnb started showing Cuban listings earlier this month, and Hostelworld.com has been listing hostels in major Cuban cities for several years now.
Still, the country has a lot of work to do before it can start comfortably accepting tourists and being able to handle all possible demands. Cuba needs to fix its roads, and the US-Cuba need to agree on visa requirements, if they’re even going to consider tourism between the countries at all. The Summit of the Americas in Panama tomorrow is expected to be a neutral place in which President Obama and President Raúl Castro discuss any possible terms between the two countries. There are many economic and political considerations to ponder before tourists even get a chance to buy their tickets to the island.
Many tourists and travelers are awaiting the possibility that Cuba will open up because the embargo against the country meant it was relatively untouched by corporate conglomerates tradition Western culture. Cohiba, one of Cuba’s most reputable cigar-factories, still makes their cigars by hand, and Cuban cars are seen as walking museums, since they’re classic and are still working because of people’s ingenuity. Some concerns about Cuba open its doors to the USA is that this will open doors to large corporations such as Starbucks or McDonald’s to build franchises in a similar way to how they’ve built them in the USA and other parts of Latin America.
A gorgeous visual story about Myanmar, a country also known for its political unrest:
https://youtu.be/jKoVqQhAHBA
