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The Cuban regime announced this Thursday that it will allow private actors to operate travel agencies, tour guide services, and car rental businesses, marking an unprecedented opening in one of the sectors that has historically been most controlled by the State.
The measure is part of the package of 176 economic transformations presented by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz during the Third Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly of People's Power (ANPP), held in Havana.
If realized, the change would put an end to decades of state exclusivity over activities deemed strategic for the tourism industry, one of the main sources of foreign currency income for the country.
Until now, Cuban legislation reserved these operations for the state sector or severely restricted the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (mipymes), cooperatives, and self-employed workers. Existing regulations such as Decree 107 of 2024 included several key services related to tourism in the list of activities prohibited for the private sector.
The new provisions are part of what is referred to as Axis 1 of the economic reforms, aimed at expanding the operational space for non-state actors and reducing the restrictions that limit their growth.
The package also removes some of the main barriers faced by micro, small, and medium enterprises, including the limit of 100 workers and the prohibition on a single individual owning more than one company.
The opening comes amid the worst crisis that Cuban tourism has experienced in decades.
According to official data, the island closed 2025 with just over 1.8 million international visitors, a figure that is significantly lower than the levels reached before the pandemic. During the first months of 2026, the decline continued to accelerate, accompanied by low hotel occupancy rates and a sustained reduction in revenue in the sector.
The situation has been further worsened by energy challenges, issues with air connectivity, and new economic pressures resulting from measures implemented by the U.S. administration.
In this context, the authorities are seeking ways to revitalize an industry that has long been portrayed as one of the driving forces of the national economy.
Marrero defended the reforms as a necessary response to the country's situation and rejected the notion that they represent a departure from the socialist model.
"Life, reality, the dramatic situation that the world is experiencing compels us to do what we would never have done otherwise," he recalled, quoting a phrase spoken by Fidel Castro during the economic crisis of the 1990s.
The Prime Minister insisted that the measures represent an adaptation to the current circumstances and not a renunciation of the principles of the system.
Transformations are part of a broader program that includes the authorization of private currency exchange houses, new forms of private banking, the flexibilization of foreign trade, and increased opportunities for foreign investment.
According to the authorities, the proposals were developed based on 390 suggestions analyzed by various state bodies. The final document also included additional recommendations made by the Political Bureau of the Communist Party.
Although the reforms already have the support of the Communist Party, they still need to complete their approval and implementation process, which is why the authorities have not specified when the first licenses to operate travel agencies, tour guide services, or vehicle rental businesses will be granted.
The decision represents one of the most significant changes in the structure of Cuban tourism since the triumph of the Revolution and reflects the regime's increasing need to seek new ways to attract revenue in a sector that is going through one of the most challenging periods in its history.
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