Cuba Tourism Halved Amid US Sanctions; Fuel and Medical Shortages Worsen

Foreign visitor numbers to Cuba have plummeted since the start of the year, according to figures released by Onei, Cuba's national statistics agency. The nation recorded fewer than 360,000 arrivals in the first five months of 2026, marking a 58.4% reduction compared to the same period last year.

This sharp decline follows a concerted pressure campaign by the US administration targeting Cuba's tourism sector, a critical revenue stream for the government. The sanctions have prompted international carriers and hospitality firms to scale back or cease operations.

Air Canada, a major source of visitors, announced an indefinite suspension of flights to Cuba, citing “ongoing political and economic uncertainty,” having previously halted services in February due to aviation fuel scarcity. Visitors from Canada constituted the largest group of foreign tourists to Cuba this year.

Spanish hotel chains Meliá and Iberostar also curtailed operations ahead of a 5 June deadline, which required companies to cease dealings with Gaesa, a Cuban conglomerate controlled by the armed forces. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Gaesa of functioning as a “state within a state,” alleging it hoards profits for a select elite and represses dissent.

The US sanctions and an effective oil blockade have intensified pre-existing shortages across Cuba, affecting fuel, medicines, and food supplies. Cubadebate, a state-run news outlet, reported a drop in the child cancer survival rate from 85% to 65% since January, coinciding with US threats to sanction any entity supplying oil to the island.

Fuel scarcity has paralysed significant economic sectors, including waste collection, resulting in rubbish accumulating in urban areas. Widespread and protracted power cuts have triggered unusual public protests, a rare occurrence in a country where dissent is often met with lengthy prison sentences.

Even essential religious items are affected; AFP reported that Catholic priests have been asked to ration communion wafers, with nuns at a Havana monastery struggling to maintain production due to electricity restrictions of only two hours daily.