The Cuban government kicked off the 44th International Tourism Fair (FITCuba 2026) on Thursday, opting for a fully virtual format. The event featured speeches from Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz and Tourism Minister Juan Carlos García Granda, which were broadcast on YouTube.
The regime is placing its hopes for revitalizing the tourism sector on two newly announced strategies by García Granda. These include opening up tourism investments to Cubans living abroad "in any form, with new facilities," such as leasing hotels, and expanding partnership opportunities with micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enhance offerings and improve service quality.
García also expressed gratitude to "foreign chains that continue to operate on the island despite pressures," underscoring the regime's urgent need to maintain these business connections.
The event, running until May 9 with an in-person day at Josone Park in Varadero, comes at a time when Cuban tourism is facing its worst downturn in decades. The sector closed 2025 with just 1.81 million international visitors, its lowest number since 2002, excluding the pandemic. In the first quarter of 2026, arrivals plummeted by 48% compared to the same period the previous year.
Marrero stated that "tourism is a driving force that generates revenue for health, social investment, hotel repairs, and the design of new products that strengthen the sector."
He assured that "the sanctions imposed on Cuba will not be permanent" and that the country will be ready to offer high-quality services once conditions improve. He also announced a special program aimed at boosting domestic tourism during the summer.
These measures build on reforms the government began implementing since FITCuba 2025, when Marrero introduced actions he described as "bold."
The first concrete result was the leasing of the Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul hotel in Varadero to the Spanish chain Iberostar, effective from January 1, 2026. This marks the first such arrangement in six decades of centralized control.
The virtual format of the fair—unprecedented in its 44-year history—highlights the severity of the crisis: hotel occupancy in Cuba fell to 18.9% in 2025, and flight cancellations along with fuel shortages make an international in-person fair unfeasible.
The regime's optimistic statements stand in stark contrast to the collapse of Cuban tourism amid a global boom in the industry. The fair coincided with the U.S. administration's announcement of new sanctions against key Cuban economic enterprises.
Since the peak of 4.7 million tourists in 2018, Cuba has lost over 61% of its international visitors. Analysts attribute this structural decline to chronic energy crises, deteriorating infrastructure, and 67 years of centralized management—issues that neither virtual fairs nor partial reform announcements have been able to reverse.
Insights into Cuba's Tourism Challenges and Reforms
What are the new strategies for Cuba's tourism sector?
Cuba is focusing on involving Cubans living abroad in tourism investments and enhancing collaborations with micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve offerings and service quality.
Why is the tourism sector in Cuba struggling?
Cuba's tourism sector is suffering due to a combination of factors including a chronic energy crisis, deteriorating infrastructure, and decades of centralized management. Recent U.S. sanctions have also compounded these issues.
How is the Cuban government responding to the tourism downturn?
The government is implementing new reforms, including leasing hotels to foreign chains and promoting domestic tourism, to counteract the decline in international visitors.