Canadian tourists will be able to pay in cash at Cuban hotels starting in August.

Starting from August 1, Canadian tourists will be able to pay in cash at Cuban hotel facilities, in a move by the regime to attract foreign currency amid the severe economic crisis affecting the country.

The measure, announced by the Cuba Tourism Office in Toronto, does not invalidate the payments that have been accepted with debit or credit cards issued by banks from the northern country. Both payment methods will coexist in Cuban hotels, and later, it will be extended to some shopping centers.

"Now they are going to accept both [payment methods]. It will start with the tourist facilities," a representative of that Tourism Office confirmed to Martí Noticias.

Canadian tourism represents the main source of international travelers to the island, which is why it is important to start this measure with this sector. Specifically, on July 1st, several Cuban airports joined in the celebrations for Canada Day.

Until last June, 577,549 travelers had arrived from Canada, according to data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI).

A figure well above Cubans residing abroad (155,320), Russia (112,721), the United States (83,186), and Germany (36,343), which represent the countries that contributed the highest number of travelers to the island.

The implementation of this measure also aligns with the statements made by Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz during the third ordinary session of the National Assembly, when he spoke about a "Macroeconomic Stabilization Program" for the country, with some projections aimed at controlling the "partial dollarization of the economy."

Among them is the acceptance of cash in foreign currency in certain sectors and activities, such as tourism.

Regarding this measure, he specified that it is imperative for the government to "accept cash in foreign currency" at state institutions.

"We are losing a lot of money. We are not going to eliminate banking, but tourists cannot arrive and not book an offer because the cards don't work. This measure will not only affect tourism, but also shops and other sectors," he stated.