Cuba travel to flourish in 2017

NEW YORK Demand for Cuba travel is not slowing among American travellers despite continued US government restrictions limiting approved travel to the island nation.

According to Cuban officials, the combined total trips from the United States was more than 614,000 in 2016 – a 34% increase over the previous year.

Supporting those statistics, Travel Leaders Group released additional data in which nearly 22% of its leisure travel-focused travel agents stated they’ve already booked clients for Cuba travel this year and over 59% indicated clients have expressed an interest in travel to Cuba in 2017.

“While there is some uncertainty about the views of the current US Administration on the future of Cuban relations, the momentum of public opinion among the American traveling public for unfettered access to Cuba continues,”stated Travel Leaders Group CEO Ninan Chacko.

“Based not only on our survey, but also on anecdotal feedback travellers are giving to their travel agents, more Americans are taking advantage of the avenues available to them to legally travel to this once forbidden island that is less than 100 miles from Key West, Florida,”

According to the Pew Research Centre, “Three-quarters of US adults (75%) approve of the decision last year to re-establish US relations with Cuba, while nearly as many (73%) favour ending the long-standing US trade embargo against Cuba.”

Delta Air Lines opened the first US airline ticket office in Havana last November; American Airlines will operate 10 daily flights to six Cuban cities this year; and United Airlines as well as five other US-based carriers will have regularly scheduled flights to Cuba; plus Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Line have scheduled sailings to Cuba through November.

When all 1,689 Travel Leaders Group travel agents participating in the survey were asked to name the Top five international destination being booked for 2017, Havana, Cuba, ranked fourth (tied with Vancouver, Canada).

Specifically asking luxury travel agents who are part of Travel Leaders Group’s Elite Division – travel agents within Protravel International and Tzell Travel Group – Cuba ranks 12th (after Spain and before European Baltic cruises).

“What is particularly intriguing is that Cuba is ranked very high among affluent travellers from the United States. Several luxury properties, including the five-star Gran Hotel Kempinski Manzana La Habana, are scheduled to open this year,” stated Protravel International and Tzell Travel Group president, Gail Grimmett. “What Cuba’s high ranking also tells us is that luxury travel to Cuba is more about the ‘exclusiveness of the experience.’ It is about the mystery of exploring a whole new destination and learning about a culture and destination that is widely unknown, even with many travellers who have covered the world.”

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