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The data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) confirm that tourism in Cuba is showing signs of accelerated decline amid the current fuel crisis affecting the country.
This Monday, the ONEI revealed that by January 2026, Cuba had received 240,578 tourists, representing 90.8% compared to the same period in 2025. This means there were 24,255 fewer travelers than a year ago.
Tourism in Cuba, another sector that is taking a nosedive
Of the total arrivals of travelers in January, 184,833 were international visitors, a figure equivalent to 94.1% of the January 2025 record. This represents 11,512 fewer tourists compared to the same period last year.
By issuing markets, Canada remained the main source with 99,724 visitors, surpassing the 88,987 recorded in 2025. Arrivals from Russia also increased (15,688 compared to 11,967), as did arrivals from Argentina (7,336 compared to 4,057) and China (3,460 compared to 2,349).
However, other strategic markets showed significant declines. The Cuban community abroad fell from 21,015 to 12,574 travelers. The United States dropped from 14,027 to 6,970 visitors.
France also saw a decrease (2,939 compared to 4,561), Spain (2,641 compared to 3,395), and Colombia (2,333 compared to 2,842).
Fuel crisis in Cuba hits tourism
This decline in tourism occurs amid a severe fuel crisis, which worsened in January following the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and the suspension of Venezuelan oil shipments to the island.
This is compounded by the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on countries that trade oil with Cuba, which has further restricted the regime's access to energy supplies.
The fuel shortage is impacting air transportation and has resulted in a reduction of flights to Cuba. Additionally, it has nearly halted fuel sales, caused power generation cuts, and affected the operation of facilities and hotel services.
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