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Canada and the United Kingdom have issued alerts advising their citizens against traveling to Cuba, due to the deteriorating conditions on the island stemming from the energy crisis, the collapse of tourism, and the mounting difficulties in ensuring basic services.
The Canadian government currently recommends "avoiding non-essential travel" to Cuba due to the worsening shortage of fuel, electricity, food, water, and medications, a situation that is also impacting the operation of hotels, transportation, and other services related to tourism.
The advisory, updated on May 27 by the Canada Global Affairs Ministry, warns that travelers may encounter frequent power supply disruptions, supply issues, and difficulties moving around the country.
Canada has historically been the main source market of tourists to Cuba, so any changes in the official travel recommendations have a potential impact on a sector that is going through one of the worst moments in its recent history.
The communication indicates that the situation is even affecting the operations of the Canadian embassy in Havana: "Our ability to provide consular services could be limited, particularly if the situation deteriorates further." Additionally, Ottawa urged its citizens on the island to "consider leaving while options remain available."
On its part, the UK Foreign Office has also tightened its warnings and has been maintaining since May 15 a notice that "advises against all travel except for essential reasons."
British authorities cite among the primary reasons the scarcity of fuel, difficulties in supplying aviation fuel, blackouts, and interruptions in transportation services. "The situation has the potential to deteriorate rapidly and without warning," they stated.
The British alert explains that on May 13, the Cuban government admitted to running out of its reserves of diesel and fuel oil, which has caused severe disruptions in essential infrastructure, transportation, healthcare, and communications. Cuban authorities have implemented fuel rationing and cut public services in education, health care, and transportation.
The United Kingdom specified that "all international airports in Cuba are lacking aviation fuel" and that Terminal 2 of José Martí Airport in Havana—which services flights to the United States and some charters—has been closed, with flights redirected to Terminal 3.
Travel warnings align with growing international concerns about the island's ability to sustain its tourist infrastructure amid a deep economic and energy crisis. Alerts issued by major tourist source markets to Cuba would add further pressure on a sector already facing a combination of sanctions, supply issues, fuel shortages, and a growing loss of confidence among operators and international travelers.
So far in 2026, several airlines have suspended or reduced their operations to Cuba, while foreign hotel chains are beginning to reconsider their presence in the country. The Canadian chain Blue Diamond Resorts recently announced the cessation of its operations, citing the reduction and suspension of flights, as well as the deterioration of operational conditions for the hotel sector, as factors motivating their departure.
Canadian airlines Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat, and Sunwinghave canceled their flights to Cuba until further notice. Air France and LATAM have also halted their operations, while Iberia suspended its Madrid-Havana route from June 1 to October 24. More than 10 airlines have suspended or reduced flights to the country, with over 1,700 cancellations accumulated.
The impact on tourism—considered for years one of the main sources of foreign currency for the Cuban regime—is devastating. After closing 2025 with only 1.81 million international visitors, the worst result in over two decades outside of the pandemic period, tourist arrivals continued to decline during the first months of 2026.
Cuba received only 328,608 international visitors in the first four months of this year, a 55.8% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. Canada, the primary source market, fell from 346,109 visitors in January-April 2025 to just 125,444 in the same period of 2026, a drop of 63.8%. Last March, only 511 Canadians visited the island compared to 98,663 in the same month of the previous year.
The hotel occupancy in Cuba does not exceed 10% in 2026, a level at which no establishment generates profits. Gaviota closed 20 hotels in Cayo Santa María, leaving more than 7,000 workers unemployed.
Canada and the United Kingdom are not the only countries that have issued travel advisories for Cuba. The Netherlands raised their alert to orange on May 24, stating that "it is not safe to travel there for vacation." Ireland, Switzerland, Costa Rica, and Argentina issued similar warnings in the early months of the year.
Economist Elías Amor predicts that Cuba could end 2026 with fewer than one million international visitors, the worst figure since the pandemic, and sums up the situation with a striking image: "GAESA has been witnessing for five years how tourism sector revenues are declining and how those new and shining hotels they have been building with Cuban money are completely empty."
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