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The decline of tourism in Cuba in January, confirmed this Monday with the figures from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), includes a particularly sensitive piece of information: the sharp drop in Cuban travelers residing abroad.
According to official figures, in January 2026, the country welcomed 12,574 visitors from the Cuban community abroad, compared to 21,015 during the same period in 2025.
The reduction is drastic. There are 8,441 fewer travelers, a drop of more than 40% in just one year.
The setback directly impacts one of the most stable sources of tourism in Cuba. The Cuban diaspora typically travels for family reasons, sends remittances, and supports a significant portion of domestic consumption in foreign currency. When that flow decreases, the economic impact is immediate.
Within that group, the most significant decline comes from the United States. Arrivals from that country dropped from 14,027 in January 2025 to only 6,997 in January 2026, nearly halving. That's 7,030 fewer travelers.
The United States has historically been the main point of origin for Cuban emigration. This reduction reflects not only the economic difficulties facing families but also the deterioration of internal conditions on the island.
In general terms, by January 2026, Cuba received 240,578 travelers, which represents 90.8% compared to the same period in 2025. This means there were 24,255 fewer tourists than a year ago.
The fuel crisis in Cuba, worsened by the suspension of Venezuelan oil shipments and the tightening of the energy situation, has led to prolonged blackouts, transportation problems, and tensions in basic services across the country.
Cubans abroad know that they will not find favorable conditions for vacationing on the island, so they choose to send packages or remittances to their families to help meet their basic needs.
On the other hand, the Cuban community in the United States also faces limitations in its mobility due to the immigration policies of the Trump administration.
The complex political, economic, and energy context discourages travel to Cuba in 2026.
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