The Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz assured this Thursday that the regime maintains an “optimistic” outlook on the future of tourism in Cuba, despite the tightening of sanctions by the United States and the economic deterioration the island is experiencing.
He made a controversial promise about what is to come in the upcoming months for the sector and assured that Cuba will be ready to welcome visitors very soon.
His statements were made at the virtual inauguration of the 44th International Tourism Fair FITCuba 2026.
"We will be ready, we will be prepared to offer a high-quality service to all who visit us. We hope that we can have a very strong upcoming winter," he said.
We are optimistic, we believe that these sanctions from the United States will not be long-lasting and that we can gradually return to normality,” Marrero stated in a video broadcast by the YouTube channel of the Ministry of Tourism (Mintur).
The official discourse aims to instill confidence in investors and international operators. However, it stands in stark contrast to the reality faced by millions of Cubans, who endure prolonged blackouts, fuel shortages, a food crisis, and the deterioration of essential services.
Beyond that, the Cuban Prime Minister raises a clear question as Cuba is in the midst of a tense confrontation with the United States: Where will those tourists come from this winter?
Cuba is collapsing and the government is preparing the hotels
While the regime insists on focusing on hotels and resorts to boost vacations in Cuba for foreign tourists, a large part of the population is surviving in extreme poverty, facing food shortages, daily power outages, and uncontrolled inflation.
Marrero assured that the government continues to be “working on the renovation of hotels” and in designing “new tourist products,” despite the significant decline in international tourism to the island in recent years.
The statements come on the same day that Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions against GAESA, the military conglomerate that controls a significant portion of the formal Cuban economy, including tourism.
In his speech, Marrero emphasized that "every time a tourist travels to Cuba, they are helping the Cuban people," a statement that has been questioned for years by economists and opponents, who assert that a significant portion of tourism profits ends up under military control and does not improve the living conditions of the population.
While the government promotes tourism in Cuba as an economic engine and claims it will save the upcoming winter season, Cubans are facing one of the deepest crises in recent decades.
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