3) America opens Cuba’s doors

Just how many Americans will be travelling to Cuba in the near future? U.S. airlines have been given the green light to negotiate with Cuba’s government for 20 routes a day to Havana and 10 to each of Cuba’s other nine major airports. That adds up to 110 new scheduled flights. These flights are months away but Cuba as we know it is already changing as the island prepares for the influx of U.S. visitors. While new hotel product in Cuba is currently coming at a rate of 2,000 rooms per year, starting in 2018, that figure will double to 4,000 rooms per year. The demand is biggest for hotels in Havana, and for four- and five-star product. Canadians and Europeans, meanwhile, are visiting the island in droves, fuelling in part no doubt by a desire to see one of their favourite sun destinations before it changes forever. The Canadian market is up 13.7%, with an anticipated 1,250,000 Canadian visitors by the end of this year, says Cuba’s Minister of Tourism, Manual Marrero.