Americans venture back to Cuba as hurricane memories, U.S. tensions fade
Source: Reuters
WORLD NEWS DECEMBER 11, 2018 / 9:04 AM / UPDATED 33 MINUTES AGO
Americans venture back to Cuba as hurricane memories, U.S. tensions fade
Marc Frank
5 MIN READ
HAVANA (Reuters) - U.S. travel to Cuba is bouncing back a year after Hurricane Irma and the Trump administration delivered a one-two punch to visits by Americans to the once-forbidden island, according to data from the Cuban Tourism Ministry.
The number of Americans traveling to Cuba through September totaled 460,646, according to ministry figures seen by Reuters, down 8.8 percent from the same period in 2017 but significantly better than the 24 percent decline year-on-year reported through June.
That mirrors signs that Cubas tourism sector in general is gradually recovering from a difficult year marked by hurricanes that devastated the Caribbean and U.S. President Donald Trumps reimposition of sanctions after his predecessor Barack Obama restored diplomatic relations and visited the island with his family.
Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero last month said that total arrivals this year would top the previous years 4.7 million despite a slow start, while next year visits would reach 5.1 million.
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https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-usa-travel/americans-venture-back-to-cuba-as-hurricane-memories-u-s-tensions-fade-idUSKBN1OA1IS