CUBAN TOURISM

Cuban Tourism

Cuban Tourism

Introduction

Cuba has long been a popular attraction for tourists. Between 1915 and 1930, Havana hosted more tourists than any other location in the Caribbean. The influx was due in large part to Cuba's proximity to the United States, where restrictive prohibition on alcohol and other pastimes stood in stark contrast to the island's traditionally relaxed attitude to leisure pursuits. Such tourism became Cuba's third largest source of foreign currency, behind the two dominant industries of sugar and tobacco. Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean, shares with the other nations of the region the climate, beaches and natural amenities that have made the Caribbean a favourite tourist destination. During the years following the Second World War, international tourism evolved into a major industry in the Caribbean. In Cuba, tourism seemed destined to become the leading economic sector, rivalling the traditional supremacy of the sugar industry (Hallab 2006). However, by 1992, thirty-three years of socialist government and the US- imposed trade embargo had altered the course of tourist development in the island, making the Cuban experience unique in the region.

Critical review of literature

This paper examines the development of tourism in socialist Cuba. It analyses Cuba's tourism policy, and the economic, Political and social consequences. It also discusses future prospects for the industry as Cuba once again begins to compete in the regional tourism market. Tourism in pre- 1959 Cuba had developed into a major industry.' By 1957, international tourist receipts had reached 61.1 million Pesos; making tourism the second largest earner of foreign currency in the Cuban economy, surpassing the tobacco industry. International tourist arrivals during that year totalled 347,500 (Cerviño and Cubillo 2005). Cuba accounted for over 21 per cent of all tourist arrivals in the Caribbean region. During the early years of the revolution (1960—75), international tourism all but disappeared from the island. The new revolutionary government discouraged tourism as a vehicle for economic growth and development Tourism was perceived as too closely associated with the capitalist evils of prostitution, drugs, gambling and organized crime. When carrying out a discussion on tourism in the Cuba, it is essential to highlight that the region functions on a command economy. This makes it somewhat difficult for investors to enter the region and to contribute to the tourism industry in the process. Furthermore, the presence of a command economy also makes it difficult for local businessmen to engage in effective business management; even if they wish to contribute to the development of tourism in the region.

The fatal blow to the industry came in 1962, when the United States imposed a trade embargo on the island which restrained travel to Cuba by US citizens and residents. The vast tourist infrastructure remaining from the prerevolutionary Period was practically abandoned (Macaulay 2007). Some sixteen hotels were closed down, and hotel capacity was reduced by 50 per cent. By the mid 1970s the policy of the Cuban government towards tourism started to change. Visitors from capitalist nations started travelling back to ...