Cuba’s tourism plummets 62% after US pressure and energy embargo

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba's tourism has plummeted by 62% since the United States intensified its pressure on the island this year, according to official statistics. The decline was outlined in a report from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), which noted a drastic drop in the number of visitors arriving in Cuba between January and July of this year compared to the same period in 2025.

This significant decrease was attributed to the U.S.-imposed energy embargo and heightened pressure on international tour operators in the island nation. The ONEI report revealed that only 419,000 tourists had arrived in Cuba during the specified period, a stark contrast to the 1.1 million visitors who came during the same timeframe in 2025.

The decline in tourism was evident as hotels, hostels, and private accommodations across the island remained closed, with beaches, shops, and attractions attracting few international visitors. The situation was exacerbated by a preexisting crisis caused by additional U.S. sanctions and a failed internal financial reform, which contributed to inflation.

In January, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a radical energy embargo on Cuba, further intensifying the pressure on the country's political and economic model. This, combined with the effects of other U.S. sanctions and the aforementioned financial reform, led to the suspension of contracts with major hotel chains like Meliá, Iberostar, and Royalton, as well as the withdrawal of payment gateways from Visa and Mastercard.

Major airlines, including World2Fly, Air France, Turkish Airlines, and Iberia, had already suspended flights to Cuba following the government's decision to prohibit planes from refueling on the island. In 2019, Cuba had received approximately 4.3 million tourists, and the travel industry had become a crucial economic engine, generating annual revenues of over $3 billion.