Cuba will reopen to all international tourism on November 15, the start of its high season, according to Juan Carlos Garcia, minister of tourism.
Although Cuba had technically reopened in June 2020 for resort travel for foreign visitors to the all-inclusive resorts in Varadero, tough entry and quarantine regulations for international visitors, in addition to the closure of many restaurants, hotels and shops, kept most visitors at bay.
Americans, in particular, are barred from vacations to the all-inclusive resorts on Cuba’s north coast since they must travel to Cuba under one of 12 specific categories of travel, the most popular of which is Support for the Cuban People, which requires that visitors follow a rigorous schedule of educational-style touring.
“Taking into account the progress of vaccination in Cuba, its demonstrated efficacy, and the perspective that more than 90 per cent of the total population will conclude vaccination agendas in November, conditions are being prepared to reopen the country’s borders beginning November 15,” Garcia said during a recent news conference in Havana.
It’s been a long, tough 18 months for tourism since COVID shut down entries in March 2020. Cuba received approximately one million foreign travellers in 2020, far less than the 4.2 million recorded in 2019.
Year to date, less than 200,000 visitors, the majority of whom were from Russia, travelled to Cuba’s seaside resorts in Varadero on package programmes, according to data from Tourism Analytics.
Entry requirements for Cuba travel
As of November 15, international visitors flying into Cuba must present proof of vaccination. Unvaccinated foreign visitors must present a negative PCR test result taken less than 72 hours prior to arrival. Regulations regarding quarantine and further testing on island have been eliminated, although, as with any foreign destination, any visitor returning to the US from Cuba must take a COVID-19 test 24 hours before departure.
Children under 12 are exempt from the PCR test and proof of vaccination.
“The Caribbean nation is gearing up to receive international travellers under COVID-19 safety protocols,” Garcia said. “Medical teams will guarantee compliance with coronavirus rules at hotel facilities.”
