Beset by shortages, Cuba needs international tourists

As geopolitical tensions escalate, hotels offer discounts to revive the island's struggling tourism sector

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Colombian Ramiro Escobar had long dreamed of visiting Cuba.

After putting off the trip for decades, last week the 68-year-old finally toured the island's best-known sites—including the white sands of beach resort Varadero. Despite Cuba’s struggling economy and fuel shortages, Escobar raved about his experience.

“It’s true the country is in crisis, but there are still services and my experience here has been very good,” he said. “I've had a great time here.”

But Escobar was one of only six foreign tourists, mainly from elsewhere in Latin America, that Reuters was able to locate during a full morning spent earlier this week in Old Havana.

Hotels, restaurants, museums and the once boisterous city streets are now largely devoid of foreigners.

Cuba's tourism industry, beset by shortages, power blackouts and an economy in crisis, never really recovered from the covid-19 pandemic. International visitor numbers have struggled to reach even half of their peak of 4.75 million in 2018.