"This is depressing": The lament of a classic car driver in Havana over the lack of tourists

Tourism in Cuba is collapsing at a time when the island desperately needs foreign currency. What was, for almost two decades, the main economic driver of the country is experiencing its worst crisis.

The decline in tourism is now close to a 70% decrease in visitors compared to 2018, according to data cited by the Associated Press.

In Havana, every day a small group of tourists takes photos in front of classic cars and leaves without booking any tours. “This is depressing,” laments Reymundo Aldama, driver of a 1957 pink Ford Fairlane.

"We are waiting for them to come, we are waiting for work," she said, and assured that the travelers do not arrive on the island.

The collapse of tourism directly impacts thousands of Cubans who depend on the sector for their survival. Drivers, waiters, landlords, and street vendors are facing increasingly longer hours with diminishing income.

Before, I charged 50 dollars for a tour, now I have to lower it to 25 or even 20,” explains Aldama.

The crisis is deepening due to power outages, shortages, and a lack of fuel, which have worsened following the interruption of oil shipments from Venezuela after the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces.

Additionally, Mexico recently announced the temporary suspension of its crude oil supply to Cuba.

Between January and November 2025, the island received only 1.6 million visitors, far below the 4.8 million recorded in 2018. The sanctions imposed by Washington and the decline of basic services, such as transportation and urban cleaning, have also discouraged travelers.

“A huge change has occurred,” acknowledges Gaspar Biart, a tour bus driver. “Before, they were full, now they leave nearly empty.” When tourism was booming, eight double-decker buses roamed Havana; today only four remain, most of them almost empty.

While the regime tries to blame the embargo and the sanctions, the reality on the streets shows closed businesses, empty restaurants, and a growing sense of discouragement among workers. “The day we run out of gasoline, we will stop driving,” says Aldama. “There is no other option.”