All-Encompassing Cuba Travel Warning Issued by Trump Administration
Skift Take
The U.S. travel warning might have been limited to visiting hotels in Cuba, where U.S. embassy employees have allegedly been targeted. But instead the Trump administration would prefer to close the door on all U.S. citizen travel to Cuba. As Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson said at the Skift Global Forum, U.S. policy toward Cuba has accomplished nothing over the last few decades.
The U.S. State Department issued a categorical travel warning about Cuba: Americans shouldn't visit.
"The Department of State warns U.S. citizens not to travel to Cuba," the warning begins. [See the full text of the travel warning for Cuba below.]
Published news articles earlier Friday indicated that a warning would be tied to U.S. embassy employees in Havana reportedly being subjected to attacks of an unspecified nature in Cuban hotels and at diplomatic facilities.
But the actual warning issued today says isn't limited to hotels but cautions U.S. citizens to avoid the island altogether. This will be a blow, in particular, to cruise lines and U.S. airlines that have upped their itineraries on the island since the Obama administration opened things up.
The warning also announced that nonemergency U.S. Embassy employees and their families will be leaving Cuba.
The reaction from the travel industry in the immediate aftermath of the warning Friday was diverse. {See comments below.]
Cynthia Martinez, director of corporate reputation and communications for Royal Caribbean Cruises | Director, Corporate Reputation | Corporate Communications, said the incidents involving U.S. embassy staff in hotels and in diplomatic facilities in Cuba does not pose a risk to cruise passengers, who depart their ships, participate on escorted tours, and then return to the ships.
And American Airlines spokesman Matt Miller said the warning will not impact the airline's service to Cuba for now.
Meanwhile, JetBlue is waiving cancellation fees for travel booked on or before September 29, 2017, the day the State Department issued the warning. These changes can be made without fees through November 1.
The Trump administration had announced in Ju
