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The Meliá Cuba chain announced this Thursday a flash sale for May 6, valid for only 24 hours, with discounts of up to 30% at selected hotels, while Gaviota held an outlet this Saturday (drastically reduced prices) alongside Cubatur with offers in various tourist destinations, in an effort to revive a declining sector.
Both chains are resorting to aggressive discounts amidst a sustained decline in tourism that shows no signs of slowing down. Cuba received only 298,057 international visitors in the first quarter of 2026, a 48% decrease compared to the same period in 2025, according to official figures.
Meliá called on its customers to connect to its website or application to take advantage of the promotion. “You can travel until October 31 and stay with a child for free at selected hotels. Don’t forget the date! This offer will be valid for only 24 hours,” posted on social media.
For its part, Gaviota, the hotel conglomerate managed by the business arm of the Armed Forces, offers prices starting at 45 dollars per night per person, with one child staying free, for stays between May 22 and October 31.
"Book from May 2nd to May 9th during our outlet sale and enjoy your vacation from May 22nd to October 31st. Don't miss this opportunity, remember that spaces are limited," stated the invitation.
The backdrop of these promotions is a profound deterioration of the sector. The hotel occupancy rate for 2026 barely reaches 21.5%, with more than eight out of ten rooms empty across the country.
The backdrop of these promotions is a structural downturn. The hotel occupancy rate in Cuba for 2026 stands at only 21.5%, with more than eight out of every ten rooms empty across the country.
The immediate trigger was the energy crisis in February, when the shortage of Jet A-1 fuel at nine international airports led to the cancellation of over 1,700 flights and the forced repatriation of more than 27,900 Canadian tourists and 4,300 Russians.
Eleven airlines suspended operations to Cuba, including Air Canada, Air Transat, Iberia, Air France, and Turkish Airlines.
Gaviota responded to the debacle by closing 20 hotels in Cayo Santa María, which left more than 7,000 workers unemployed overnight.
Since February, the regime has implemented a strategy of "tourist compaction," concentrating the limited number of visitors in selected facilities to conserve energy.
Meliá, which operates more than 30 hotels in Cuba, was already facing losses of around five million euros in management fees in the first quarter of 2025, with an occupancy rate of 40.5% and a situation that the chain itself acknowledged as "showing no clear signs of improvement".
In April, an event was organized at the Tryp Habana Libre hotel to present offers that include stays with pets, weddings, and quinceañera celebrations.
The situation worsens with external factors. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on May 1 that tightens sanctions against the Cuban government, and imposed secondary measures on foreign companies and banks that conduct business with the island, directly threatening international chains such as Meliá.
Cuba ended 2025 with only 1.81 million international tourists, the worst record since 2002, and tourism has fallen by 62% since 2018, when the island welcomed 4.7 million visitors.
The hotel occupancy rate for 2025 was 18.9%, the lowest rate recorded in decades, reflecting a collapse that emergency discounts are unlikely to reverse.
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