The article reports a dramatic decline in tourism in Cuba, with visitor numbers dropping by 62% in the first seven months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. Only 419,000 tourists visited the island, down from 1.1 million in 2025. This sharp drop is attributed to intensified U.S. pressure, including restrictions on fuel and energy supply. Official data from the National Office for Statistics and Information confirms the situation on the ground, with tourist destinations largely empty and accommodations closed. Tourism has been a major driver of Cuba’s economy, generating up to $3 billion annually. The crisis escalated in January 2026 when former President Donald Trump imposed a radical energy embargo aimed at forcing political and economic changes. New sanctions from the U.S. Department of State between May and July targeted the tourism industry, freezing accounts and banning operations within the U.S. financial system. Major hotel chains like Meliá, Iberostar, and Royalton have terminated all contracts. Payment systems such as Visa and Mastercard are no longer usable. Several airlines, including World2Fly, Air France, Turkish Airlines, and Iberia, had already suspended航班因
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the impact of U.S. sanctions on Cuba's tourism sector through a lens that emphasizes the negative economic consequences and highlights the role of U.S. policies in exacerbating the crisis. While it presents factual information about the decline in tourism and the measures taken by






