Cuba’s tourism sector, once a critical pillar of the island’s economy, is experiencing one of its sharpest declines in recent memory.
During the first quarter of 2025, the country recorded a 29.7% drop in tourist arrivals compared to the same period last year, losing more than 237,000 visitors.
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This sharp decline highlights a deepening crisis for the Cuban economy, which relies heavily on foreign tourism revenue to offset structural weaknesses in other sectors. Without recovery, the island faces not only growing financial instability, but a worsening social crisis, as fewer resources become available to maintain essential services.
Tourist numbers have fallen across all major markets.
Canadian visitors, historically Cuba’s largest source of tourists, dropped by 31.8%.
Russian visitors fell by nearly 50%, while the Cuban community abroad registered a 20.4% decline in visits to the island, according to official figures.
Structural and service-related issues are at the heart of the problem. Visitors report deteriorating infrastructure, frequent blackouts, shortages of food and basic hotel supplies, and declining service standards. Also the energy crisis, poor maintenance of tourist areas and political instability have further eroded Cuba’s image as a viable destination.
The government has made efforts to court international agreements, particularly with China, but experts warn that unless internal conditions improve, such efforts are unlikely to reverse the trend.
Forecasts suggest that Cuba’s tourism sector may not recover to pre-pandemic levels until at least 2030, potentially signaling a “lost decade” for one of the island’s few remaining sources of hard currency.
Meanwhile, regional competitors like the Dominican Republic are setting tourism records, widening the gap between Cuba and its neighbors in attracting international visitors and investment.
As one of the last major economic lifelines continues to weaken, the future for Cuba’s broader economy — and for ordinary Cubans — grows increasingly uncertain.
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