WASHINGTON — A U.S. senator is urging the Obama administration to ease restrictions on investment in Cuba so American hotels can operate in the island nation.

Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, says that as diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba improve, business opportunities will grow.

In a letter sent Tuesday to the secretaries of Treasury and Commerce, Klobuchar says regulatory barriers must be removed to ensure the U.S. hospitality industry has a fair shot at competing in this emerging market.

Klobuchar, who chairs the Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus, says hotel operators from Spain and the Britain are already negotiating deals to build hotels in Cuba.

The senator also is sponsoring legislation to lift the current embargo on Cuba and allow more U.S. goods to be exported there.