Casual tourists are still banned from Cuba but the Obama administration widened travel to that country to make it far easier for students, religious and cultural groups to visit the long-time Communist-ruled island.
It still will not be legal for ordinary American tourists to vacation in Cuba, which has been under a US economic embargo for nearly 50 years. But the measures will expand the categories of who is authorized to travel, which are currently restricted to Cuban Americans and a limited number of others.
“I anticipate a surge in applications by a broad range of travel companies and cultural organizations for licenses to operate cultural tours that involve interactions with Cubans," said Cuba Travel expert Christopher P. Baker.
"For the U.S. travel sector, this will undoubtedly open new routes and new revenues for charters and other businesses that provide services for Americans visiting the Cuban market," said Sarah Stephens," executive director of the Center for Democracy in the Americas.
The number of visitors to Cuba this year is expected to increase 10 percent over 2010.
Canada continued to send more visitors to Cuba than any other country, almost one million people for an increase of almost three percent over the previous year.
Tourism is the second largest revenue source of Cuba after exports of medicines and medical services, which brings about 6 US$ billion to the country a year.
By David Wilkening
