Hotels, restaurants, museums and the once boisterous city streets are now largely devoid of foreigners.
Reuters – According to Cuba's national statistics agency ONEI, 328,608 international visitors arrived in the first months of this year — less than half the number recorded during the same period a year ago, already well below pre-pandemic levels.
Since the start of May, the two largest foreign hotel chains operating in Cuba - Spain's Melia and Iberostar - announced they would reduce the number of hotels they operate on the island. Canadian hotel firm Blue Diamond pulled out entirely. Spanish airlines Iberia and World2Fly have suspended their connections to the island, as have Russian airline Rossiya and Canadian airlines WestJet and Air Canada, citing unreliable supplies of jet fuel. As of last week, credit card giants Visa and Mastercard have also suspended operations in Cuba.
For those bold enough to give it a go - and able to reach the country - hotel rooms at all-inclusive resorts can be had for as little as $50 a night. But guests may be surprised by broken elevators, shoddy rooms and a lack of choice at the hotel buffet. Most are not even trying.
