The Trump administration has just banned travel to Cuba for nearly all US citizens, a move which will no doubt have huge ramifications for the renewed tourism scene on the island.
Trump’s new rules ban US cruise ships from stopping in Cuba, severing one of the top ways Americans travelled to the island.
The new restrictions also prohibit group educational trips to Cuba (AKA the “people to people” travel loophole that let Americans get around the federal restrictions limiting travel to the communist country).
The US Department of State has released an official statement on the decision, saying they have taken “strong action to prevent U.S travel to Cuba from enriching the Cuban military, security, and intelligence services”.
The official statement said that the “United States holds the Cuban regime accountable for its repression of the Cuban people, its interference in Venezuela, and its direct role in the man-made crisis led by Nicolas Maduro”.
“Despite widespread international condemnation, Maduro continues to undermine his country’s institutions and subvert the Venezuelan people’s right to self-determination,” the statement said.
“These actions are directly linked to the tourism industry, which has strong economic ties to the Cuban security, military, and intelligence sectors in Cuba.”
The US Department of State
They claim “veiled tourism” has served to “line the pockets of the Cuban military”.
The new rules will go into force today although travellers who’ve already booked their trips will be exempt.
The announcement undoes the work the Obama administration did to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba.
- READ: 5 Reasons Cuba should ABSOLUTELY be your next travel destination
- READ: Trump to tighten US travel to Cuba, well, that didn’t take long
- READ: Viva la Cuba! Your guide to who’s cruising to salsa land
