Since our last post announcing the new tours to Cuba, there have been new developments, most notably the cancellation of Abercrombie & Kent’s trips.
Despite immediate interest in A&K’s Cuba departures, the luxury travel company has since pulled the trips in response to a new set of regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). On their website, A&K has announced the suspension of its Cuba trips “until it can ensure it is fully compliant with this new guidance.” However, in a statement, an A&K representative said, “Once it became clear that OFAC advisory does not envision a role for travel agents, we decided to cancel our scheduled departure.” Since the OFAC stipulation prohibits third-party relationships, there can be no travel agent commissions.
Meanwhile, National Geographic Expeditions has unveiled a 10-day itinerary to Cuba, following the issue of a special license by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Like A&K’s cancelled trips, it’s an exploration of Cuban history, people, and culture.
We’ll continue to monitor the changing rules surrounding travel to Cuba and post any updates here!
(In the meantime, here’s a good source for Cuba-related FAQs)
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