Geopolitics stir questions, but Cuba vacations still in demand, say agents & tour ops

This story was updated on Tuesday, January 6 at 2:30 p.m. EST

Cuba, long a staple for Canadian winter sun-seekers, finds itself squarely in the geopolitical spotlight.

Just a day after a U.S. military operation successfully removed Nicolás Maduro from power in Venezuela, U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio signalled that the collapse of Cuba’s government could be more than an incidental outcome—it could be a strategic objective.

“I don’t think we need [to take] any action,” Trump said over the weekend, as reported by the Washington Post. Without Maduro and the oil supplies Venezuela provided, he said, “Cuba looks like it’s ready to fall.”

It was just one more thing to stir the tourism pot. Already that weekend, as earlier reported, U.S. actions in Venezuela sent shockwaves through the aviation industry.

Flights to the Caribbean, operated by U.S. airlines, were temporarily cancelled as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration imposed airspace restrictions, only to resume shortly afterward.

Canadian airlines, which operated normally (with exception to WestJet, which cancelled its Toronto-Aruba service for one day) monitored the situation, particularly as the high season for winter travel ramps up.

As for Cuba, now making headlines in the wake of Venezuela’s upheaval, it’s much too early to gauge the immediate impact or seriousness of Trump’s remarks.

Yet the Canadian travel industry cannot overlook the potential fallout. Cuba is a key winter destination, and while Canadians are famously eager for sun-soaked (and affordable) getaways, any hint of instability can prompt last-minute cancellations or shifts to alternative destinations.

Agent feedback  

Truro, Nova Scotia-based Heather Rother, a travel advisor at SellOffVacations.com, sells a lot of Cuba and says customers have been asking questions about the destination’s situation and safety.

“I have one current inquiry about a Cuba booking wanting to make a change, and I know other agents have been getting calls,” Rother told PAX on Tuesday (Jan. 6).

Rother said she’ll have a better sense of consumer sentiment as the week progresses.

Still, despite everything in the news, it appears Cuba’s soft sands, friendly locals, and minty mojitos continue to draw Canadian visitors. 

Kristina Ziegler of Stonetown Travel in St. Marys, ON, had a group of 14 return from Cuba just yesterday. She has another client departing this Friday.

On the geopolitical situation: “[Clients] haven’t been concerned yet, but it’s difficult as the situation seems to be changing day by day,” Ziegler said, noting that she hasn’t received any Cuba-related cancellations.

Tiny, ON-based Brenda Slater of Beyond the Beach hasn’t seen any Cuba cancellations either, noting that the questions she’s receiving have more to do about vaccines for Dengue and chikungunya viruses (a separate issue Cuba is confronting).

Ontario-based Denise Luciani, owner of Marlin Travel Brantford, had clients leave for Cuba this morning. If anything, it’s the U.S.’s recent actions in Venezuela that is raising the most concern. 

“I would definitely say the conflict between the U.S. and Venezuela is impacting clients’ decisions on which destination to choose,” Luciani said. “Obviously, this impacts the agents in our office as well. They want to ensure our clients safety and minimize any challenges while travelling.”

“The great news is that we are such a resilient industry and have faced many obstacles like this in the past. We always find alternate opportunities for our clients.”

No widespread trend

The Government of Canada hasn’t updated its travel advisory for Cuba since last weekend’s events. It’s advice for Canadians is to take normal precautions in the popular resort areas.

In Quebec, this is something Moscou Côté, president of the Association des Agents de Voyages du Québec (AAVQ), stressed this week, noting that Trump’s comments about Cuba were not accompanied by any concrete measures.

In an article published by the Journal de Montréal, industry stakeholders expressed concerns about the potential impact Trump’s words could have on tourism demand. And Côté, who was quoted in the story, acknowledged that tourism, in general, is one of the first sectors affected during periods of uncertainty.

A travel advisor cited by the newspaper said she has received calls from worried travellers wanting to cancel their vacations to Cuba, but Côté pointed out that, for now, these reactions do not reflect a widespread trend.

Tour ops weigh in

PAX contacted several major tour operators to get their take on Cuba.

Transat’s manager of public relations and content, Marie-Christine Pouliot, responded before press time, saying that it’s “too early to identify any clear trend.”

Pouliot also confirmed that Transat, at this time, is not seeing a spike in Cuba cancellations.

“We have received a small number of questions from partners and customers, but these have been more general in nature and related to the broader geopolitical context rather than Cuba specifically,” Pouliot said. “We continue to closely monitor the situation.”

Air Canada Vacations (ACV) also responded to PAX's request for comment, saying its operations are proceeding as usual. 

"We remain dedicated to ensuring that any changes or important announcements are communicated promptly," the company wrote in an email. "Customers can always find the most up-to-date information, including travel advisories on our Travel Advisory page at aircanadavacations.com. We encourage all travellers to check this page regularly before and during their journeys for the latest details and recommendations." 

“Cuba is resilient”

Gihana Galindo, director of the Cuba Tourist Board in Toronto, said she hasn’t seen an increase in cancellations this week – based on what she’s heard from tour operators.

“All scheduled winter flights are maintaining their itineraries and reporting high load factors, confirming that Canadian interest in the destination remains strong,” Galindo told PAX in a statement. 

“Our message to our travel trade colleagues is that Cuba is resilient. The Ministry of Tourism has prepared extensively to ensure a high-quality holiday experience this winter season.”

Regardless of current events, she believes Canadian travellers will remain loyal to Cuba.

“Ultimately, they continue to visit because of our deep-rooted friendship, pristine beaches, affordability, and the legendary warmth of the Cuban people,” she said.

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