Cuban tourism drops 25% in the first half of the year

Havana, July 24 – Cuba recorded a 25 percent drop in international tourist arrivals during the first half of the year. According to data published by the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI, for its acronym in Spanish), the country received 981,856 visitors between January and June. This figure represents 327,799 fewer than in the same period last year.

Canada remains the main issuing market, with 428,125 travelers. However, this number is only 75 percent of what was recorded in 2023. The decrease affected almost all countries of origin, reported the newspaper Granma.

Russia, Germany, France, and Spain reported significant declines. The reductions were 56.5 percent, 64.1 percent, 73.6 percent, and 73.8 percent, respectively. The United States also experienced a decline of 80.6 percent.

The Cuban community abroad reduced its visits by 77.6 percent, with 120,423 travelers. In June alone, Cuba received 119,513 tourists.

Colombia was the only exception, with a slight increase of 2.4 percent, equivalent to 388 additional travelers. Mexico and Argentina showed lower numbers, with 26,702 and 23,862 tourists, respectively. This represents 87.6 percent and 92.9 percent of what was recorded the previous year.

During a visit to Colombia, Cuban Tourism Minister Juan Carlos García Granda emphasized the need to "stimulate connectivity" in the region. His goal is to reactivate the sector. The tour is part of a government strategy to revitalize tourism, which has been affected by the economic crisis and migration.

García Granda stated that Cuba seeks to strengthen traditional markets such as Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil. It is also exploring opportunities in Asia and the Middle East, regions that currently provide minimal visitor numbers.

Tourism is fundamental to the Cuban economy. It contributes to the gross domestic product and generates foreign currency. Only professional services and remittances exceed it. In 2022, Cuba welcomed 1.6 million tourists, a figure that increased to 2.4 million in 2023, but in 2024 the number dropped to 2.2 million, according to official data. (Source: ACN)