The U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments say they have taken measures to ease sanctions on Cuba, CNBC reports. The measures, which will take effect Monday, allow more tourists and companies into the country. It also authorizes vessels to travel nonstop to Cuba.
Scott Smith, managing director of PKF Consulting, says that while eased restrictions are beneficial for tourism, it may be too soon for Cuba’s infrastructure to handle an influx of visitors.
“Having Cuba tourism on the U.S. travelers mind is always positive, especially during the cold winter months,” he says. “However, I would caution the U.S. traveler that Cuba’s tourism infrastructure lags behind that of other destinations in the Caribbean. I would not expect that Cuba could efficiently handle a rush of new travelers from the U.S. who are accustom to modern transportation infrastructure, upscale or luxury accommodations, and the high service standards. Three to five years from now could be a different story depending upon how the Cuban government ‘welcomes’ foreign investment into the tourism industry.”
