The Government of Cuba has started to close some hotels on the island and relocate tourists to other facilities as part of the package of measures adopted in response to fuel shortages, sources from the sector confirmed this Saturday to EFE.
The measure was described in the Mesa Redonda by Vice Prime Minister Óscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga as a "compaction" of tourism to reduce energy consumption and make the most of the high season.
In statements made on state television, he assured that "a plan has been designed in tourism to reduce energy consumption, streamline tourist facilities, and make the most of the peak season."
Although the official did not provide details on the scope of the consolidation, sources in the sector told EFE—on condition of anonymity—that hotels are being closed and international tourists are being relocated to other facilities starting this Friday.
According to those sources, the impact mainly affects facilities located in Varadero and in the northern cays of the country.
On the other hand, a tourism worker, who requested to remain anonymous, confirmed to CiberCuba that in Varadero, workers would have seven days of work followed by seven days off.
During the workweek, they would stay at a hotel near yours due to the lack of fuel to travel to their homes.
Cuban tourism confirmed its crisis in 2025, closing with 1.8 million international travelers. In the first half of the year, the hotel occupancy rate recorded an annual decline of seven percentage points, reaching 21.5%, according to official data.
According to official statistics cited by the government, Canada (754,010 visitors) and Russia (131,882) were the main source markets in 2025, with year-on-year declines of 12.4% and 29%, respectively.
Since mid-2025, the Cuban Government has intensified its efforts to support the tourism sector amidst an
In May of that year, the regime launched a media campaign to improve the image of tourism, presenting it as an economic engine and a source of stability.
However, while official propaganda praised the benefits of the sector, millions of Cubans faced power outages of up to 20 hours a day, rampant inflation, and food shortages, highlighting the deep inequality between the resources allocated to hotels and the needs of the population.
Despite official announcements, the "tourist consolidation" does not seem like a strategy for optimization, but rather a desperate attempt to sustain an industry that has been operating well below its capacity for years.
Filed under: