On Monday, Havanatur SA revealed that residents of Cuba can now book hotels, experiences, and transportation through its domestic website utilizing the Classic Card linked to the Transfermóvil app, via the MiTransfer Exchange.
While this update was touted on Facebook as a benefit for "online customers," it masks a harsh truth: all prices are set in U.S. dollars, a currency out of reach for most Cubans.
The official announcement from Havanatur highlights the economic hurdle with stark clarity. A night at the Hotel Cohibá is priced from 142.50 USD, Hotel Varadero starts at 156.50 USD, a Day Pass at Hotel Brisas del Caribe costs 80 USD, and packages like Josone Jazz, Rumba, and Son are available from 100 USD. For a Cuban state worker, earning an average salary equivalent to less than 20 dollars a month, these prices are unattainable.
The Classic Card, issued by Fincimex—a company under the military conglomerate GAESA—is a prepaid USD card, anonymous and without the holder’s name, costing four dollars and activated with a PIN.
According to the state-run newspaper Granma, as of May 2025, over 200,000 cards were in circulation, with more than a million transactions recorded. Its integration with Transfermóvil for booking travel marks a new phase of the internal tourism dollarization: the government aims to capture remittances sent to Cubans through its state-run hotel system.
Tourism Strategy Amid International Decline
This strategy comes as international tourism to Cuba has plummeted, with just 387,591 foreign visitors in the first half of 2026—a 60.7% drop compared to the same period in 2025, according to the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) data cited by Infobae. The sector’s peak was in 2018, with 4.75 million tourists visiting the island.
In response to this decline, the regime opened 18 properties in Havana and 22 in Varadero for the domestic market for the summer of 2026, including the Tryp Habana Libre, the Nacional de Cuba, Meliá Cohiba, Barceló Solymar, and Brisas del Caribe. Transtur also offered routes to beaches priced at 10 USD from Havana and five dollars from Varadero, valid until August 31, 2026.
Widening Economic Divide
However, by focusing on domestic tourism in foreign currency, the government is exacerbating the social divide on the island. Those receiving remittances from abroad may, in theory, access these services, while those relying solely on the Cuban peso are effectively excluded. The Havanatur announcement also offers accommodation packages for the 5th Edition of the Gran Retto Varadero 2026 Open Water Serial, indicating an attempt to monetize sporting events through this channel as well.
This measure is introduced amidst an unprecedented economic and energy crisis, marked by chronic power outages, widespread shortages, and a massive population exodus. According to Reuters, Cuban tourist sites that once thrived with foreign visitors are now seeing "increasingly scarce" numbers of international tourists. Unable to reverse this decline, the regime is now targeting the finances of its own citizens.
Understanding Cuba's Economic and Tourism Policies
Why are the tourism prices in Cuba set in U.S. dollars?
The Cuban government has set tourism prices in U.S. dollars as part of a strategy to capture remittances that citizens receive from abroad, leveraging the state-run hotel system to generate revenue.
How does the Classic Card work for Cuban residents?
The Classic Card is a prepaid USD card issued by Fincimex, a company under GAESA. It is anonymous, costs four dollars, and is activated with a PIN, enabling Cuban residents to book tourism services online.
What impact has the decline in international tourism had on Cuba?
The significant drop in international tourists, down 60.7% in the first half of 2026 compared to 2025, has forced Cuba to rely more on domestic tourism, despite the local population's limited access to U.S. dollars.