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Americans are eager to visit Cuba, but U.S. rule changes may be slow to follow Americans are eager to visit Cuba, but U.S. rule changes may be slow to follow
(about 9 hours later)
MEXICO CITY — There are the people who want to honeymoon on the same beaches their grandparents did decades ago. Those who want to extend their Florida vacations with a quick jaunt to the island 90 miles south. Those who want to buy the Havana Club rum and the hand-rolled cigars and to see the mid-century jalopies before they disappear. And they want to go, like, today.MEXICO CITY — There are the people who want to honeymoon on the same beaches their grandparents did decades ago. Those who want to extend their Florida vacations with a quick jaunt to the island 90 miles south. Those who want to buy the Havana Club rum and the hand-rolled cigars and to see the mid-century jalopies before they disappear. And they want to go, like, today.
"The response in our office has been overwhelming," said Tom Popper, the president of Insight Cuba, an organization that has been running tours legally to Cuba since 2000. "We're flooded. We've never seen anything like it." “The response in our office has been overwhelming,” said Tom Popper, the president of Insight Cuba, an organization that has been running tours legally to Cuba since 2000. “We’re flooded. We’ve never seen anything like it.”
President Obama's announcement last week of his intention to normalize relations with Cuba and end the Cold War-era standoff has generated massive interest among Americans eager to see the Caribbean island for themselves, according to travel industry professionals. But the regulations that restrict those trips to small-group educational and cultural exchanges are still in place, and it is not clear that they will change dramatically. While it may become easier to join a tour focused on cultural or educational themes, Americans will probably not be able to simply go sip rum in the sunshine. President Obama’s announcement last week of his intention to normalize relations with Cuba and end the Cold War-era standoff has generated massive interest among Americans eager to see the Caribbean island for themselves, according to travel industry professionals. But the regulations that restrict those trips to small-group educational and cultural exchanges are still in place, and it is not clear that they will change dramatically. While it may become easier to join a tour focused on cultural or educational themes, Americans will probably not be able to simply go sip rum in the sunshine.
"There is some lack of clarity of what it will mean," said Bob Guild, vice president of Marazul Charters, Inc., a Miami-based travel agency for Cuba tours. "Everyone's on hold to see what the Treasury Department will actually print." “There is some lack of clarity of what it will mean,” said Bob Guild, vice president of Marazul Charters, a Miami-based travel agency for Cuba tours. “Everyone’s on hold to see what the Treasury Department will actually print.”
For tourists who play by the rules — rather than routing themselves via Mexico or the Dominican Republic and asking Cuban customs agents not to stamp their U.S. passports — options for visiting Cuba are quite restrictive. Under the embargo, intended to block American money from reaching the Communist Castro regime, most U.S. visitors can only legally travel to Cuba under a license granted for one of 12 reasons, codified by Congress in 1996. These include professional research, religious activities, journalism and sports competitions.For tourists who play by the rules — rather than routing themselves via Mexico or the Dominican Republic and asking Cuban customs agents not to stamp their U.S. passports — options for visiting Cuba are quite restrictive. Under the embargo, intended to block American money from reaching the Communist Castro regime, most U.S. visitors can only legally travel to Cuba under a license granted for one of 12 reasons, codified by Congress in 1996. These include professional research, religious activities, journalism and sports competitions.
During the Clinton administration, and then early in Obama's presidency, "people-to-people" visits were expanded to allow regular citizens to visit Cuba in small groups for educational or cultural tours. The goal was to encourage "purposeful" travel — rather than dropping the cruise-ship gangplank for any sun-seeking beach-goer. During the Clinton administration, and then early in Obama’s presidency, “people-to-people” visits were expanded to allow regular citizens to visit Cuba in small groups for educational or cultural tours. The goal was to encourage “purposeful” travel — rather than dropping the cruise-ship gangplank for any sun-seeking beach-goer.
Each year, about three million tourists visit Cuba, led by Canadians drawn to the country by discount tour packages. Some half a million Americans visited Cuba last year, but the bulk of those were Cuban-Americans, who are allowed to visit close relatives on the island without restrictions. Companies seeking to operate tours for people without Cuban heritage may have to provide hundreds of pages of documentation and wait several months to get licenses from the Treasury Department. Each year, about 3 million tourists visit Cuba, led by Canadians drawn to the country by discount tour packages. Some half a million Americans visited Cuba last year, but the bulk of those were Cuban-Americans, who are allowed to visit close relatives on the island without restrictions. Companies seeking to operate tours for people without Cuban heritage may have to provide hundreds of pages of documentation and wait several months to get licenses from the Treasury Department.
The Obama administration now plans to create a general license covering these 12 categories, which tour operators hope will cut down on bureaucracy and ultimately allow more Americans to visit. Travel companies expect that tourists may be able to operate on an honor system, in which they can claim their visits are "purposeful" without having to prove it. The Obama administration now plans to create a general license covering these 12 categories, which tour operators hope will cut down on bureaucracy and ultimately allow more Americans to visit. Travel companies expect that tourists may be able to operate on an honor system, in which they can claim their visits are “purposeful” without having to prove it.
Under the changes outlined, though, American resort or hotel chains won't be allowed to move in to the island any time soon. Solo tourists simply out for fun would still not be allowed to travel legally to Cuba. Under the changes outlined, though, American resort or hotel chains won’t be allowed to move in to the island any time soon. Solo tourists simply out for fun would still not be allowed to travel legally to Cuba.
If the U.S. government isn’t throwing open the floodgates to Cuban tourism, the Communist-ruled nation may not be ready for it either. The country is short of hotel rooms, taxi cabs, tour buses, airport gates, rental cars. The main terminal at Havana’s international airport has just four baggage carousels, and lines to get through security can back up so far that flights get delayed as a result.If the U.S. government isn’t throwing open the floodgates to Cuban tourism, the Communist-ruled nation may not be ready for it either. The country is short of hotel rooms, taxi cabs, tour buses, airport gates, rental cars. The main terminal at Havana’s international airport has just four baggage carousels, and lines to get through security can back up so far that flights get delayed as a result.
SUBHEAD On the day of Obama’s speech, Eric Nadel, a radio announcer for the Texas Rangers baseball team, was finishing up a six-day tour of Cuba. His program, organized by Insight Cuba, offers a glimpse of the kind of tourism permitted now. It was a “baseball adventure,” he said, and the 18 people involved saw two Cuban major league games and some little league games, and met with managers, sportswriters and announcers. A highlight for Nadel was getting to meet Omar Linares, a Hall of Fame third baseman.
On the day of Obama's speech, Eric Nadel, a radio announcer for the Texas Rangers baseball team, was finishing up a six-day tour of Cuba. His program, organized by Insight Cuba, offers a glimpse of the kind of tourism permitted now. It was a "baseball adventure," he said, and the 18 people involved saw two Cuban major league games and some little league games, and met with managers, sportswriters and announcers. A highlight for Nadel was gettingto meet Omar Linares, a Hall of Fame third baseman. “It was as if Babe Ruth had showed up at a cocktail party here,” he said. “The best player in Cuban history shows up? Are you kidding me?”
"It was as if Babe Ruth had showed up at a cocktail party here," he said. "The best player in Cuban history shows up? Are you kidding me?" Such visits are open to any Americans, but the itineraries have to be approved by both governments. Nadel’s baseball group had two guides, an American and a Cuban who was affiliated with the government, and most of their activities had to be related to cultural and educational themes. Including the chartered flight from Miami, the trip cost each person about $5,000, he said. “You’re paying for the license,” he said.
Such visits are open to any Americans, but the itineraries have to be approved by both governments. Nadel's baseball group had two guides, an American and a Cuban who was affiliated with the government, and most of their activities had to be related to cultural and educational themes. Including the chartered flight from Miami, the trip cost each person about $5,000, he said. "You're paying for the license," he said.
He plans to go back with his wife in February and wants to organize more baseball trips next year.He plans to go back with his wife in February and wants to organize more baseball trips next year.
"Before it gets flooded with Americans," he said. "Who knows how fast that's going to happen?" “Before it gets flooded with Americans,” he said. “Who knows how fast that’s going to happen?”
Since the announcement, dozens of new groups have requested travel arrangements for Cuba from Marazul Charters, Guild said, but given the demand it may take more than a year to accommodate them all.Since the announcement, dozens of new groups have requested travel arrangements for Cuba from Marazul Charters, Guild said, but given the demand it may take more than a year to accommodate them all.
"People are overwhelmingly optimistic, overwhelmingly excited," Guild said. "We've been inundated with calls. We've had just zillions of emails and telephone calls." “People are overwhelmingly optimistic, overwhelmingly excited,” Guild said. “We’ve been inundated with calls. We’ve had just zillions of e-mails and telephone calls.”
The notion of new, albeit limited tourism options for Americans does not sit well with everybody. Some critics of the Castro regime protest that Obama is offering concessions on travel without getting any democratic reforms in return. Despite the new detente, President Raul Castro said this week that he has no plans to change the Communist ideals that have underpinned the country’s political system for the past half century. The notion of new, albeit limited tourism options for Americans does not sit well with everybody. Some critics of the Castro regime protest that Obama is offering concessions on travel without getting any democratic reforms in return. Despite the new detente, President Raúl Castro said this week that he has no plans to change the Communist ideals that have underpinned the country’s political system for the past half-century.
"We could have said, 'We'll let you have tourists if you move towards a transition government, or do something more for dissidents," said James Cason, a former chief of mission at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, who is now the mayor of Coral Gables, Fla. "We just gave away our leverage." “We could have said, ‘We’ll let you have tourists if you move toward a transition government, or do something more for dissidents,” said James Cason, a former chief of mission at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, who is now the mayor of Coral Gables, Fla. “We just gave away our leverage.”
But many Americans are intensely curious about an island nation that has long been legally off-limits to them. At Insight Cuba, which has brought some 10,000 Americans to Cuba on "people-to-people" tours over the past 15 years, Obama's announcement has caused web traffic to their site to multiply by four, while bookings have spiked sixfold, Popper said. Their trips have detailed itineraries, in which Americans often meet local artists and musicians and tour museums and factories. But many Americans are intensely curious about an island nation that has long been legally off-limits to them. At Insight Cuba, which has brought some 10,000 Americans to Cuba on “people-to-people” tours over the past 15 years, Obama’s announcement has caused Web traffic to their site to multiply by four, while bookings have spiked sixfold, Popper said. Their trips have detailed itineraries, in which Americans often meet local artists and musicians and tour museums and factories.
"I think it portends to an incredible future with regards to travel and opportunities for Americans to see a place that's been prohibited for 51 years," Popper said. “I think it portends to an incredible future with regards to travel and opportunities for Americans to see a place that’s been prohibited for 51 years,” Popper said.
Still, this does not mean that MTV Spring Break will be hosting its show next season from a Cuban beach.Scrapping the travel restrictions, just like other portions of the embargo, would require a vote in Congress. Still, this does not mean that MTV Spring Break will be hosting its show next season from a Cuban beach. Scrapping the travel restrictions, just like other portions of the embargo, would require a vote in Congress.
"It's probably less likely that there will be wide open travel," Popper said. "This is the next logical step. It's kind of like the pendulum has swung." “It’s probably less likely that there will be wide-open travel,” Popper said. “This is the next logical step. It’s kind of like the pendulum has swung.”
Once on the island, American tourists will now be allowed to bring back $400 worth of Cuban goods, including up to $100 of tobacco and alcohol combined. It's a change in the right direction, Guild said, but "that doesn't quite get you to a box of Cuban cigars." Once on the island, American tourists will now be allowed to bring back $400 worth of Cuban goods, including up to $100 of tobacco and alcohol combined. It’s a change in the right direction, Guild said, but “that doesn’t quite get you to a box of Cuban cigars.”