Key facts
- Cuba experienced a 58.4% decrease in foreign tourist arrivals in the first five months of 2026 compared to the same period last year.
- The US has tightened sanctions on Cuba, targeting its tourism sector and companies doing business with the Cuban conglomerate Gaesa.
- Several foreign airlines and hotel operators, including Air Canada, Meliá, and Iberostar, have ceased or reduced operations in Cuba.
- Sanctions and an oil blockade have exacerbated shortages of fuel, medicines, and food, impacting essential services like healthcare and electricity.
- Public dissent and protests have increased due to widespread power cuts and economic hardship.
Cuba's tourism sector has experienced a dramatic collapse in visitor numbers since the beginning of 2026, with a 58.4% decrease compared to the previous year, according to figures from the national statistics agency Onei. This downturn is a direct consequence of tightened US sanctions aimed at pressuring the Cuban government.
The US administration's campaign has led several foreign airlines and hotel operators to cease or reduce their operations on the island. Air Canada recently announced an indefinite suspension of its flights, citing political and economic uncertainty, a significant blow as Canadian tourists represent the largest group of visitors. Spanish hotel chains Meliá and Iberostar have also scaled back their operations in response to a US government deadline for companies to stop doing business with Gaesa, a conglomerate controlled by Cuba's armed forces.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been vocal in his criticism of Gaesa, accusing it of enriching a select elite while suppressing opposition. The combined effect of US sanctions and an oil blockade has severely exacerbated pre-existing shortages of fuel, medicines, and food. Reports indicate a sharp decline in the survival rate for children with cancer, falling from 85% to 65% since January. The lack of fuel has crippled essential services, leading to uncollected garbage in Havana streets and frequent, prolonged power outages that have sparked rare public protests.
The scarcity extends to basic necessities, with reports of communion wafers being rationed due to production challenges at a Havana monastery struggling with limited electricity supply.