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Cuba tourism declines 62% amid U.S. sanctions and energy embargo
Cuba’s tourism sector has experienced a severe decline in 2026, with official data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) reporting that international visitors fell by 62% between January and July compared to the same period in 2025. The number of international visitors reached 419,000, down from 1.1 million the previous year.
The downturn is attributed to increased pressure from the United States, including a radical energy embargo imposed by President Donald Trump in January and new sanctions from the State Department between May and July. These measures have targeted the core of the industry, leading to the withdrawal of Visa and Mastercard payment gateways and the suspension of contracts by major hotel chains such as Meliá, Iberostar, and Royalton.
Logistical challenges have further crippled the sector. Major airlines, including Air France, Turkish Airlines, and Iberia, suspended flights following reports that aircraft could no longer refuel on the island. Additionally, Delta Air Lines has requested a temporary exemption from the U.S. Department of Transportation to suspend most of its weekly flights to Cuba for the 2026-2027 winter season, citing low demand and the island's economic crisis.
Significant drops in arrivals were noted from Canada, the Cuban diaspora, and the United States, alongside declines from Russia, Mexico, Argentina, Spain, China, Colombia, and France.
Entities
Cuba · Delta Air Lines · Donald Trump · Iberostar · National Office of Statistics and Information · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 5 SOURCES] International visitor numbers fell by 62% compared to the same period in 2025. mymotherlode.com · n.com.do · srnnews.com · www.index.hr · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] New sanctions were announced between May and July targeting the Cuban tourism industry. mymotherlode.com · n.com.do · srnnews.com · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Delta Air Lines requested a temporary exemption to suspend most of its weekly flights to Cuba for the 2026-2027 winter season. www.escambray.cu · oncubanews.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Major hotel chains including Meliá, Iberostar, and Royalton suspended all contracts in Cuba. mymotherlode.com · srnnews.com · www.index.hr · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Canadian visitor arrivals dropped by 350,737 compared to the previous year. cubaenresumen.org · www.radiohc.cu · www.radiorebelde.cu
- [DISPUTED] Cuba received 419,863 international visitors between January and July 2026. cubaenresumen.org · mymotherlode.com · n.com.do · srnnews.com · www.index.hr · +1 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] A radical energy embargo was imposed on Cuba in January 2026. mymotherlode.com · srnnews.com · www.index.hr · www.troyrecord.com
- [DISPUTED] The number of travelers to Cuba reached 794,492 through July, a 50.2% decrease from the previous year. cubaenresumen.org · www.radiohc.cu · www.radiorebelde.cu