U.S. Tour Operators Rethink Future of People-to-People Tours in Cuba
Photo Credit: David Lee (first from left), owner of Cultural Cuba, with a group of U.S. travelers in Cuba. Cultural Cuba
Skift Take
The tour companies that have been guiding U.S. tourists through Cuba up to now will eventually evolve or go away, but right now when restaurants are full and beds are, too, they may be more valuable than ever.
Individual U.S. travelers can go to Cuba, though many U.S.-based tour operators — even those helping organize individual travel — say going solo spells disaster.
This milestone, announced last month, allows U.S. travelers to forgo people-to-people group tours, those approved by the U.S. government that meet restrictions for American travel to Cuba.
President Obama began relaxing rules for to travel in Cuba in 2011 and momentum has been building since then to open up individual tourism for Americans. Under the looser restrictions, people-to-people activities such as seminars and cultural meetings with local entrepreneurs are still required. And while U.S. travelers don't legally need a tour guide by their sides, individual travel in Cuba creates a catch-22 for Americans, at least until all restrictions are lifted. Many of the people-to-people activities are exclusively offered to tour operators who've built relationships and trust with Cuban businesses and cultural organiz
