FTA Members Offer Clarity On Travel To Cuba
A Cuban trumpeter entertains. (Photo courtesy of CUBA CANDELA)
This week, the Treasury Department issued an updated policy on travel to Cuba this morning that will dramatically impact certain types of travel to the Caribbean island.
For example, many cruise lines and companies operating under the “people to people” license will no longer be able to visit Cuba, according to the Treasury Department’s newly published regulations. But other types of travel will remain legal, including tours by several of the FTA’s member companies.
FTA Member Discover Corps has been a pioneer in opening up travel to Cuba, starting group tours in 1999, and today has five unique itineraries to the country.
At Discover Corps, all of the company’s trips “are still 100% legal because we operate under a ‘support for the Cuba people’ license,” the company said in a statement. “The volunteer aspect of Discover Corps trips help allow us to remain legal even under these new sanctions, largely because we stay in casas particulares, eat at locally owned restaurants, and provide a tour with activities that truly support the people of the country.”
CUBA CANDELA’s private custom tours for individuals (couples and families) also are conducted under the “support for the Cuban people” travel authorization and will not be impacted by the elimination of group people-to-people travel, the company said.
A typical trip with CUBA CANDELA directly supports more than thirty private sector Cuban entrepreneurs.
A Cuban produce market. (Photo Courtesy of Discover Corps)
“Travel to Cuba with CUBA CANDELA remains safe, legal and extraordinarily enriching, as our clients participate in a full-time schedule of activities that enhance contact with the Cuban people and engage in meaningful interactions with the Cuban people, through wonderful immersive cultural experiences that comply with U.S. travel rules,” said Chad Olin, CEO & Founder of CUBA CANDELA.
“We continue to operate business as usual, and we continue to guarantee compliance with U.S. law. We took this opportunity to further reassure our clients with a ‘100% Guaranteed Departure Policy’ that includes a full refund in the event future U.S. travel restrictions prohibit legal travel with CUBA CANDELA,” said Olin.
