Cuba's tourism sector collapses as US sanctions drive tourists away

In the first five months of 2026, only 360,000 visitors arrived in Cuba – a 58 % decline from the same period a year earlier – leaving hotels and historic areas such as Old Havana largely empty. The sharp drop follows a series of punitive measures by the Trump administration, including a January military strike against Venezuela that cut a crucial oil supply to the island, a subsequent U.S. oil blockade, and new sanctions targeting foreign firms that do business with the Cuban military, which controls much of the tourism industry.

The sanctions have forced many international hotel chains to abandon Cuba and led operators such as the U.K.-based Cubania Travel to suspend all tours. President Miguel Díaz‑Canel has announced reforms that could let Cubans run state hotels, while travel director Lucy Davies of Cubania is redirecting staff to aid food‑relief efforts for locals struggling with the economic fallout. President Trump has likened Cuba’s tourism potential to Venezuelan oil, suggesting further pressure or even military action to compel political concessions.