Cuba welcomed just 477,707 international visitors between January and September 2026, a 65.1% decrease compared to the same period the previous year, according to data published by the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI).
The figure represents only 34.9% of the visitors recorded during the first nine months of 2025. In absolute terms, the island lost 890,140 international visitors compared to the previous year, marking another setback for one of its primary sources of foreign currency.
The report also accounts for a total of 970,382 travelers up to September, a broader statistical category than that of international visitors.
September records the lowest monthly figure of 2026
During September, 27,354 international visitors arrived in Cuba, the lowest monthly record between January and September 2026, below the 28,100 counted in June.
By August, the country had received 450,353 international visitors, a 64.4% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. Arrivals in September raised the year-on-year decline to 65.1%.
Canada leads the decline of major tourism markets
Canada, traditionally the largest source market of tourists to Cuba, recorded one of the most significant declines.
Between January and September, 129,243 Canadian visitors arrived, a decrease of 76.9% compared to the same period in 2025. The absolute loss was 430,460 visitors.
The Cuban community residing abroad represented the second largest group, with 117,386 visitors, although it also experienced a decrease of 60,081 arrivals compared to the previous year.
From the United States, there were 45,895 visitors, 42,984 fewer than in the first nine months of 2025.
The decline also affected other important markets. Russia recorded 21,235 visitors, 67,205 fewer than in the same period of 2025. Mexico, for its part, contributed 24,369 visitors, representing a decrease of 45%.
Among European countries, Spain experienced one of the largest declines, with a drop of 69.6% and just 11,182 visitors. Italy recorded 9,278, a decrease of 41.7%, while China totaled 10,238, with a reduction of 43%.
In Latin America, Argentina recorded 15,260 visitors, a decrease of 39.9% compared to the previous year, while Colombia registered 10,672, following a decline of 59.4%.
The declines recorded in the main source markets contributed to the significant downturn in international tourism during the first nine months of 2026.
The tourism crisis hits the hotel industry
The downturn occurred after Cuba closed 2025 with 1,810,663 international visitors, far from the over four million it used to receive annually before the pandemic.
In July, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz acknowledged the seriousness of the situation in the sector, with 73% of hotel facilities closed and around 25,000 workers in a state of availability.
Operational difficulties have also impacted international hotel chains managing facilities on the island, in a scenario characterized by fuel shortages, supply issues, and reduced flight connections.
The consequences reach destinations traditionally linked to international tourism, such as Viñales, where numerous businesses rely on the arrival of visitors, and Soroa, affected by the prolonged closure of tourist facilities.
The government seeks to revitalize tourism with new reforms
In response to the decline in visitors, the Cuban government has implemented measures to increase the participation of the private sector in tourism activities, including hotel management, vehicle rentals, and transportation and guiding services.
The reforms are part of a package of economic measures announced in 2026 aimed at revitalizing productive activity and attracting investments.
However, international experts have raised doubts about the possibility of a swift recovery, due to energy difficulties, infrastructure deterioration, and restrictions impacting tourism operations.
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