U.S. pressure drives a 62% plunge in Cuba's tourist arrivals

Cuba's tourism sector has collapsed, with arrivals dropping 62% between January and July 2026 relative to the same period in 2025, according to one outlet Office of Statistics and Information. The report recorded 419,000 visitors this year versus 1.1 million the previous year, leaving hotels, hostels, beaches and shops largely empty. The downturn follows a radical energy embargo imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump in January and a series of sanctions announced by the U.S. State Department between May and July that froze accounts and barred participation in the U.S. financial system.

Long-standing hotel partners such as Meliá, Iberostar and Royalton terminated contracts, while Visa, Mastercard and several airlines—including World2Fly, Air France, Turkish Airlines and Iberia—suspended services. Historically, tourism contributed roughly $3 billion a year, but the current crisis threatens the island's economic engine.