The path less traveled for most Americans—the island of Cuba—will soon be just a short plane ride away. New legislation that will ease restrictions on travel to Cuba is working its way through Congress. Meanwhile, tour operators are eagerly anticipating the rush of American tourism. Among them, luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent as well as Globus Tours have announced that they will begin taking reservations next month.
In 1999, President Clinton implemented a program known as “People to People” that allowed Americans to travel to Cuba for educational purposes and to improve cultural exchange. That ended a few years later under President Bush. Now, President Obama has reinstated the program, offering Americans access to Cuba under the sponsorship of approved cultural exchange organizations.
A&K’s tour, “The Forbidden Island Revealed,” offers an 11-day itinerary that will guide guests through the cultural history and tropical beauty of Havana and beyond. It’s sponsored by the Foundation for Caribbean Studies, a nonprofit that is authorized by the U.S. Government to offer cultural travel programs to Cuba. The Center for Caribbean Religion and Culture will sponsor Globus' 8-day “Cuba: A Spiritual, Historical and Cultural Journey.”
Although Cuba has been largely off-limits to Americans since Fidel Castro’s takeover in the 1950’s, it has been a popular vacation spot for Canadians and Europeans. With the door now opening up to Americans, tour companies will capitalize on the infrastructure already in place, vying for their share of what will likely be a lively American interest on the undiscovered island.
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