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Three tourism companies —Turismo Popular, Taíno Tours, and Prelasa— signed an agreement this Saturday to include Cuba as an extension of the Mexican «Mundo Maya» circuit, creating a multi-destination package that will connect the archaeological sites and heritage cities of southeastern Mexico with Havana, Varadero, and other colonial cities on the island.
The agreement received support from the Cuban Embassy in Mexico and was presented as a direct response to the collapse of Cuban tourism, which in the first four months of 2026 recorded only 328,608 international visitors, a decrease of 55.8% compared to the same period the previous year, according to a report by the newspaper La Jornada.
The first package will be launched in August, featuring flights between Cancun and Havana, and it will be linked to the Varadero Festival —scheduled from the 24th to the 30th of that month— as a complementary cultural attraction.
The offer will combine destinations such as Chichén Itzá, Tulum, Mérida, and Palenque with Cuban colonial cities, beaches, and monuments declared UNESCO World Heritage sites, targeting the market in America and other international markets.
Jaime Morett, General Director of Popular Tourism, emphasized the importance of realizing the agreement beyond mere intentions.
«It is extremely important to be able to sign this agreement because it goes beyond good intentions and the well-meaning desires we sometimes have for developing products and routes. Considering our Maya World from a regional perspective is extremely difficult to achieve alone,» he stated to La Jornada.
Erick Gómez from Taíno Tours emphasized the historical ties between the two nations: "Cuba and Mexico are countries that throughout history have been united by a very strong brotherhood. Sharing the cultural and heritage attributes of both countries will strengthen our relationship and tourist development."
Mario Escalona, general director of Prelasa, described the agreement as more than just a formal document: "This act symbolizes mutual trust, a willingness to work together, and the commitment to continue strengthening the historical ties between Mexico and Cuba through tourism and culture."
The tourism advisor of Cuba in Mexico, Aleinor Zerquera, presented the alliance as a strategic tool in light of the economic pressure facing the island, although she did so with the usual language of the regime: “We are truly experiencing a very difficult moment, with the intensification of the blockade against Cuba like never before in history, which aims to suffocate our country, something they will never achieve.”
The agreement is part of the Tourism Cooperation Actions Program Cuba-Mexico 2025-2028, signed in 2025 by the tourism ministers of both countries, which already included joint routes, professional training, and binational events.
The agreement comes at the worst moment for the sector in decades. Following the oil embargo ordered by the Trump administration in February 2026, more than 300,000 workers in the Cuban tourism industry were left unemployed, over 1,700 flights were canceled, and chains like Meliá, Iberostar, and Sunwing closed or suspended operations on the island.
The major Canadian airlines have abandoned Cuba indefinitely—Air Canada, WestJet, and Air Transat among them—and hotel occupancy does not exceed 10%, a level at which no establishment generates profit.
In this context, the new multi-destination circuit aims to diversify source markets and attract travelers who would otherwise not consider Cuba as a standalone destination, using Cancun as an entry point and air connection to Havana.
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