Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

U.S. travel industry gearing up for return to Cuba
Yahoo UK ^ | 12/16/2009 | Anthony Boadle

Posted on 12/17/2009 5:45:26 AM PST by autumnraine

It's too soon for Americans to plan a Cuban vacation of beach, mambo and mojitos, but the U.S. travel industry is gearing up for a return to its largest Caribbean destination before Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution.

Tour operators held a video conference with Cuban tourism officials in Havana on Wednesday and asked them if they are ready for the "rush" of Americans if the U.S. travel ban is lifted as proposed by legislation now under consideration in the U.S. Congress.

"Americans really want to see Cuba," said Robert Whitely, president of the U.S. Tour Operators, which together with the National Tour Association also present at the event, handles 75 percent of all package tour business to the Caribbean.

"We predict that at least 850,000 Americans will go to Cuba in the first year," Whitely said.

(Excerpt) Read more at uk.news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Cuba; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cuba; embargo; travel
Yes, we all know Cuba is a beautiful island and yes, Americans used to love to travel and visit there... however that little problem of not supporting a dictatorship and communism threw a monkey wrench into that whole thing.

By the way, is it really a "Revolution" when you are taken over by a dictator?

1 posted on 12/17/2009 5:45:27 AM PST by autumnraine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: autumnraine

China and Russia was much worse than Cuba. If we’re going to talk with the Sudan, China, etc, to ban travel to Cuba is stupid. The way to defeat communism is to support the middle class. And the best way is to encourage small businesses through travel and trade.


2 posted on 12/17/2009 5:48:47 AM PST by rstrahan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rstrahan

This will probably not be good news for Las Vegas.


3 posted on 12/17/2009 5:57:41 AM PST by pointsal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: autumnraine
To all of the "touristas" just itchin' to "see Cuba" - here's your offical Cuban government 'Greeting Committee' of paid thugs...(courtesy of www.TheRealCuba.com)


4 posted on 12/17/2009 5:58:59 AM PST by LibFreeUSA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rstrahan

Yes, that was what I was thinking as well on the communism front. However the dictatorship is the part that bumps it over the edge for Cuba IMO. Oh, and passing the dictatorship on to his brother.


5 posted on 12/17/2009 5:59:48 AM PST by autumnraine (You can't fix stupid, but you can vote it out!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: rstrahan

Maybe you should read this.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1382671.html

I personally don’t understand what makes you think that Cuba making money through travel will result in Cubans making money. You are looking Cuba through the eyes of capitalist and that is not the case there.


6 posted on 12/17/2009 6:03:10 AM PST by autumnraine (You can't fix stupid, but you can vote it out!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: autumnraine

travel to Cuba? Sorry, I try very hard to avoid going to dictator run third world cesspools. They are just not fun and not safe. There are too many beautiful places to visit that are fun, safe and only somewhat socialists - just without the dictator.


7 posted on 12/17/2009 6:03:46 AM PST by rigelkentaurus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: autumnraine

An island where everyone has a job but no one works. Where nothing has been painted or maintained in 50 years. Where prisoner Armando Vallidares had the door to his cell welded shut - “You’ll die in there, you bastard”. Where thousands are still killed or tortured in the name of revolution. Where mothers prostitute their teen daughters for the pleasure of perverted Canadian and Euro-trash “tourists”. Yeah, coach, sign me up.


8 posted on 12/17/2009 6:06:37 AM PST by QBFimi2 (Ve are the New World Order; ve bring to the world dis-order. Spike Jones, 1943.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: autumnraine

There’s a huge complex that’s soon to be empty which is conveniently owned by America that already has hotel-like rooms. They may be on the small side but do-able.


9 posted on 12/17/2009 6:30:31 AM PST by bgill (The framers of the US Constitution established an entire federal government in 18 pages.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson