Talking Points: Cuba Travel – November 15, 2017
Talking Points – Cuba Travel
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The following Talking Points can be used in conversations with the media and clients who have questions about travel to travel to Cuba. (November 15, 2017)
1. Effective November 9, 2017, the U.S. Government tightened U.S. and travel to Cuba.
2. The U.S. State Department updated its Travel Warning for Cuba on September 29, 2017, due to numerous U.S. Embassy employees in Havana being targeted in specific attacks.
3. We provide the facts so our clients can make informed decisions about their travel plans.
Below you will find additional information, supporting material and statistics to help further illustrate each talking point.
1. Effective 9, 2017, the U.S. government tightened U.S. relations and travel to Cuba.
American tourists are no longer be able to travel to Cuba on individual people-to-people exchange programs, according to tightened restrictions announced by the Trump administration on November 8, which became effective November 9.
American tourists must travel now with a sponsoring organization or educational program.
Individual travel to Cuba was only legal for Americans from when the Obama administration opened it in March 2016 until 13 months later, when the Trump administration outlawed it again.
Media reports and industry organizations indicated that the revised restrictions were not as severe as originally anticipated.
o The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) issued a statement that says, in part: “We believe in the fundamental principle of travel freedom, and that our government should not be in the business of telling Americans where to travel or not to travel. The American people are the best ambassadors of U.S. values abroad, and should be allowed to freely promulgate those values and travel to any destination they wish without restriction from their own government…
While these regulations move us in the opposite direction of the full opening of the Cuba market ASTA has long pushed for, they did incorporate several items we did push for and, perhaps most importantly, the rules of the road are now set. We are confident that our cruise and tour partners and other travel industry stakeholders will adjust quickly to the new rules with an eye toward keeping Cuba as viable a destination for U.S. travelers (and travel agents) as possible. ASTA will continue to monitor implementation and respond to member queries as the situation unfolds.”
o The New York Times noted: “A little over a month after the Trump administration warned Americans not to visit Cuba because of mysterious sonic attacks, the Treasury on Wednesday published new restrictions on American travel to the island and placed dozens of military-owned hotels and shops off-limits.
Under the new rules, Americans will no longer be permitted to visit Cuba on individual “people-to-people” trips, a popular mode of travel that has fueled a boom in home rentals and family-run restaurants since President Barack Obama loosened restrictions on travel to Cuba two years ago. American travelers must now travel to Cuba as part of a U.S.-based tour group.
Americans will also be barred from “direct financial transactions” with a long list of restaurants, shops and hotels that form part of the Cuban military’s extensive business empire.”
o Travel Market Report indicated: “After President Trump won the election, tour operators waited apprehensively, and then in June, he announced his policy changes with respect to Cuba. But when the official changes were announced, it was not nearly as bad as tour operators had feared. The only major change was that individual travel would no longer be legal for Americans. That had been the least that tour operators had expected.”
Background: Cuba faced a severe economic downturn in 1990 following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies worth $4-6 billion annually. Cuba at times portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source of its difficulties. Over the past decade, there has been growing communication with the Cuban Government to address national interests. As a result of efforts begun in December 2014 to re-establish diplomatic relations with the Cuban Government, which were severed in January 1961, the US and Cuba reopened embassies in their respective countries on 20 July 2015. However, the embargo remains in place.
2. The U.S. State Department updated its Travel Warning for Cuba on September 29, 2017, due to numerous U.S. Embassy employees in Havana being targeted in specific attacks.
o These U.S. State Department employees have suffered significant injuries as a consequence of these attacks. Affected individuals have exhibited a range of physical symptoms including ear complaints and hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues, and difficulty sleeping.
o The Travel Warning further states: “The Governments of the United States and Cuba have not yet identified the responsible party, but the Government of Cuba is responsible for taking all appropriate steps to prevent attacks on our diplomatic personnel and U.S. citizens in Cuba. Because our personnel’s safety is at risk, and we are unable to identify the source of the attacks, we believe U.S. citizens may also be at risk and warn them not to travel to Cuba. Attacks have occurred in U.S. diplomatic residences and hotels frequented by U.S. citizens. On September 29, the Department ordered the departure of nonemergency U.S. government employees and their family members to protect the safety of our personnel.”
o Due to the drawdown in staff, the U.S. Embassy in Havana has limited ability to assist U.S. citizens. The Embassy will provide only emergency services to U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens in Cuba in need of emergency assistance should contact the Embassy by telephone at +(53)(7) 839-4100 or the Department of State at 1-202-501-4444. U.S. citizens should not attempt to go to the U.S. Embassy as it suffered severe flood damage during Hurricane Irma.
Travel to Cuba for tourist activities remains prohibited by statute. However, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued general licenses for 12 categories of travel. Individuals who meet the regulatory conditions of the general license they seek to travel under do not need to apply for an additional license from OFAC to travel to Cuba. The 12 categories of authorized travel to Cuba are:
o family visits;
o official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations;
o journalistic activity;
o professional research and professional meetings;
o educational activities;
o religious activities;
o public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions;
o support for the Cuban people; humanitarian projects;
o activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes;
o exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials;
o and certain authorized export transactions.
On The U.S. Department of State issued a list of entities and subentities under the control of, or acting for or on behalf of, the Cuban military, intelligence, or security services or personnel with which direct financial transactions would disproportionately benefit such services or personnel at the expense of the Cuban people or private enterprise in Cuba.
o For information, regarding the prohibition on direct financial transactions with these entities, please see the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control website and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security website. *** Entities or subentities owned or controlled by another entity or subentity on this list are not treated as restricted unless also specified by name on the list. ***
Most of the forbidden hotels were not among those often frequented by Americans. Here are the ones listed for Havana, as of November 2017.
O HOTELS IN HAVANA AND OLD HAVANA o Aparthotel Montehabana (Habaguanex)
o Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski (Gaviota)
o H10 Habana Panorama (Gaviota)
o Hostal Valencia (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Ambos Mundos (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Armadores de Santander (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Beltrán de Santa Cruz (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Conde de Villanueva (Habaguanex)
o Hotel del Tejadillo (Habaguanex)
o Hotel el Bosque (Habaguanex)
o Hotel el Comendador (Habaguanex)
o Hotel el Mesón de la Flota (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Florida (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Habana 612 (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Kohly (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Los Frailes (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Marqués de Prado Ameno (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Palacio del Marqués de San Felipe y
o Hotel Palacio O’Farrill (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Park View (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Raquel (Habaguanex)
o Hotel San Miguel (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Telégrafo (Habaguanex)
o Hotel Terral (Habaguanex)
o Memories Miramar Havana (Gaviota)
o Memories Miramar Montehabana (Gaviota)
o Santiago de Bejucal (Habaguanex)
3. We provide the facts so our clients can make informed decisions about their travel plans. We highly recommend that U.S. citizens follow the advice of the State Department and register their international travel plans at https://step.state.gov/step. By entering information into the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), the Department of State can better assist travelers in an emergency.
We strongly encourage our clients to use care and common sense – no matter where they travel – to maximize their safety and security. For example:
o Leave your itinerary, and passport data page, with a friend or family member back home so you can be contacted in case of an emergency.
o Know and respect the laws in the country you are visiting.
o Follow your instincts and avoid any areas or situations that seem as though they could become dangerous.
o Remain alert to their surroundings at all times.
o Avoid all demonstrations, as even peaceful ones can quickly become unruly and a foreigner could become a target of harassment. If caught unexpectedly near a demonstration, obey instructions from police and leave the area as quickly as possible.
o Ask tour guides and hotel officials about any planned demonstrations in the locations they plan to visit.
o Do not display expensive looking jewelry, large amounts of money or other valuable items. Also, do not leave luggage unattended in public areas and do not accept packages from strangers.
o Check with your cell phone provider prior to departure to see if your phone is capable of roaming on GSM or 3G/4G international networks.
o Check your medical insurance coverage to make sure it applies overseas. If it doesn’t, consider buying travel insurance that covers overseas medical attention and medical evacuation.
The U.S. State Department also offers a helpful Traveler’s Checklist that provides additional travel tips.
Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 202-501-4444 from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, Eastern Time (except U.S. federal holidays).
We closely monitor the U.S. Department of State website for travel alerts as well as the more severe travel warnings for all destinations, including those that are most popular with our clients.
Should we become aware of an issue for a specific destination, we alert clients who may be planning to travel there so they can determine for themselves if they still wish to travel.
Also, should we become aware of an issue for a specific destination where a client is currently located; we try to immediately contact the client to check on their well-being and work to assist them if they require alternate travel arrangements.