Cuba at the crossroads: the role of the U.S. hospitality industry in Cuban tourism initiatives.(CQ Cases)

The long-standing U.S. embargo on travel to Cuba has made life difficult for the Cuban people without achieving its stated purpose of regime change. Supported for many years by the erstwhile Soviet Union, Cuba turned to tourism as means for earning foreign exchange after the USSR imploded. Tourism has afforded a means for many Cubans to improve their lot, especially when their jobs allow them to collect U.S. dollars, which are a prized currency on the island. Operators from several nations are a part of Cuba's tourism industry, which is second largest in the Caribbean and chiefly attracts travelers from Canada and Europe. Left out of the island's tourism ventures are U.S.-based chains and operators, who would benefit from being able to participate in Cuba's growing tourism industry. Given the likelihood that President Fidel Castro will not return to power, the moment is ripe for American tourist interests to seek their opportunity to do business in Cuba. A particular benefit of tourism joint ventures would be restoration of trust between the peoples of Cuba and America, a trust that has been impeded by political activities on the part of both governments.

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