Canadian bookings remain strong for Cuba
Cuba is hopeful that it will see one million Canadian visitations this year, which would amount to a hefty increase in visitors from this country who Cuba’s Ministry of Tourism insists can visit confident that their vacations won’t be disrupted by fuel shortages.
Lessner Gomez, former director of the Cuba Tourist Board’s Toronto office and now director of marketing at the Cuban MInistry of Tourism’s head office in Havana, told a Mississauga gathering last week that his country currently has enough petroleum to last through the coming summer, adding that fears of possible looming Cuban oil shortages that have surfaced recently are unfounded. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly stated that Cuba won’t receive any more Venezuelan oil, leading to speculation in some quarters about Cuba’s oil supply.
But Gomez said that any perception that Cuba was receiving all its oil from Venezuela is untrue, with his homeland actually receiving oil from multiple countries, including Mexico, and currently has enough petroleum to last well beyond the busy winter season. Hotels are also well supplied with the necessities to operate, he added.
“Cuba is operating normally,” he told those on hand in Mississauga. “It’s business as usual.”
Canadians haven’t been deterred by recent U.S. threats aimed at Cuba, he said, reporting Canadian visitations to Cuba in early January were actually up 17% from the same period last year. Cuba is hoping for a million Canadian visitations this year, up from 754,010 in 2025. “We think we can reach that,” Gomez said.
Gomez also reported that there are now an average of 120 flights a week from this country to Cuba, with all Cuban airports having direct air service to this country.
The visit of the delegation — which also included Carlos Latuff, president, Gaviota Hotels, and Gipzy Hernandez, president of Cubanacan Hotels — was arranged quickly following media reports about Trump’s hostile Cuba stance and subsequent speculation that Cuba might see fuel shortages this winter.
But Gomez insisted that that won’t be the case and “the feedback we have from clients is very good…Cuba is very resilient. We’re doing our best to spread the word that it’s business as usual… Cuba continues to be a safe destination with very hospitable people. Cubans love Canadians and Canadians love Cubans.”
Ties between this country and Cuba are underscored by recent celebrations held in tourism locales that Gomez said are directed at Canadians and have a carnival-like atmosphere. The celebrations are held at tourist plazas and dedicated to Canadians and feature food, drinks and music.
As well, Canada will be the honoured country at FITCuba, Cuba’s annual tourism show, which will be held in Varadero in May. Gomez said blackouts Cuba has at times struggled with aren’t an issue for Canadian tourists, who overwhelmingly stay in all-inclusive resorts that have their own generators and are found in resort areas that have their own power grids. Cuba plans to have a large presence at this month’s FITUR tourism show in Spain, seen as further evidence that Cuban tourism is functioning normally.
Meanwhile, Gomez suggested that winter-weary Canadians look to Cuba for long-stays, positioning his country as an alternative for those reluctant to now visit the United States. Gomez added that Cuba has luxury resorts, something not all Canadian travellers are aware of.
Gomez also said that Cuba shouldn’t simply be viewed as a sun-and-beach destination, praising it as a part of the world offering interesting cultural experiences. Gomez cited the likes of a February festival revolving around the country’s famous cigars to underscore his point.
He also noted that there had been recent additions to Cuba’s tourism infrastructure, such as Splash Santa Maria, a waterpark on Cayo Santa Maria, one of a number of islands found off Cuba’s north coast that have been developed for tourism. Splash Santa Maria is open daily and features the likes of giant inflatable slides and interactive water games and is designed for children, teenagers and adults.
Elsewhere, Christine James, vice president Canada for Travel Leaders Network, told a TLN Toronto event held the same date as the Cuba update that Cuba continues to perform strongly for her members, being one of its top three sun destinations. James said the current tensions between Cuba and the United States haven’t led to any significant drop in bookings for Cuba or cancellations of booked Cuba vacations.
