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North America

Americans remain confused about travel to Cuba

Comments (1)
  1. John McAuliff says:

    We must appreciate the role that tour operators play in overcoming anxieties of first time travelers to Cuba and in providing a variety of very educational programs, but they should not downplay the opportunities for independent travelers.

    In accordance with Cuban regulations, all group tours over 6 persons are organized by State companies and provide structured encounters with institutions and people. They provide quite useful but predetermined windows into Cuba’s history and culture.

    Independent travel is inherently more spontaneous. Institutional access is replaced by a diversity of private and personal contacts. With a good guidebook or a local guide, independent travelers can replicate some of what is seen by tour groups, while retaining some form of record of their activities for five years. The regulations are here https://cubapeopletopeople….

    The basics for both tour groups and independent travelers utilizing the Support for the Cuban People license are that they stay in private bed and breakfasts, predominantly patronize private restaurants and vendors and that they follow “a full-time schedule of activities that enhance contact with the Cuban people”. What that means for independent travelers is a matter of personal integrity not subject realistically to supervision or second-guessing by the US government.

    Regrettably too many tour operators (just like the cruise lines) have failed to use their networks of past and prospective clients to support legislation to end all travel restrictions introduced by Senator Leahy with 46 cosponsors and by Representative McGovern.

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