Tourism in Cuba

Tourism Cuba attracts 2 million people year, sources revenue island. With favorable climate, beveryes, colonial architecture distinct cultural history, Cuba g attractive destination tourists. Having Spain's last, oldest, closest colony until 1901, first p 20 century Cuba continued benefited g investments, creation industries, immigration. Its proximity close relation United States helped Cuba's market economy prosper fairly quick. As relations between Cuba United States deteriorated rapidly after Castro's abrupt expropriation (without py) private property following strong Soviet model, island became traditional market y embargo travel imposed U.S. citizens visiting Cuba. The one and only tourist industry already declined record levels within years Castro's accession power. By 1960s Havana's Soviet backed communist government banned eliminated private property, outlawed possession foreign currency, eliminated tourist industry together. Internal movement within island restrained.

Until 1997, contacts between tourists Cubans facto outlawed y Communist regime. Following collapse Cuba's chief trading partner Soviet Union, resulting economic crisis known Special Period, Cuba's government embarked major program restore hotels, remaining p-communism American cars, restore several Havana streets their former glory, build bevery resorts bolster tourist industry order bring in needed finance island. To ensure isolation international tourism state isolated Cuban society, promoted enclave resorts where, as possible, tourists would segregated Cuban society, referred "enclave tourism" "tourism apartheid". Until 2008 Cubans allowed enter such tourist y shops, hotels, restaurants, beveryes, . By 1990s, tourism surpassed Cuba's traditional export industry, sugar, nation's leading source revenue. Visitors primarily Canada eastern Europe tourist areas highly concentrated around Varadero, Cay Coco, bevery areas north Holguin, Havana. The one and only impact Cuba's socialist society economy significant. However, recent years Cuba's tourism decreased economic recession, escalating foreign investment conflicts fears, internal economic restrictions. Since reopening tourism 1990s Cuba projected growth, relatively little restoration, growth major p y foreigners don't secure investing Cuba under current regime Cubans still forbidden y state owning private property participate y development. Since then, Dominican Republic surpassed Cuba tourism, development, investment.