Will improved relations between Cuba and the United States hurt Barbados and other Caribbean destinations?
Several government officials and ordinary citizens in the Caribbean rejoiced last December when United States (US) President Barack Obama and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro announced that the two countries would be establishing full diplomatic relations for the first time in more than 50 years.
However, as some of these officials and citizens began to think about the implications this could have for Barbados and other Caribbean tourist destinations, concerns that these other countries could suffer in the long run emerged.
In announcing the decision to engage with Cuba, Obama said: “We are taking steps to increase travel, commerce and the flow of information to and from Cuba. This is fundamentally about freedom and openness, and also expresses my belief in the power of people-to-people engagement.
“With the changes. . .it will be easier for Americans to travel to Cuba, and Americans will be able to use American credit and debit cards on the island. Nobody represents America’s values better than the American people, and I believe this contact will ultimately do more to empower the Cuban people.
“I believe that American businesses should not be put at a disadvantage, and that increased commerce is good for Americans and for Cubans. So we will facilitate authorised transactions between the United States and Cuba. US financial institutions will be allowd to open accounts at Cuban financial institutions. And it will be easier for US exporters to sell goods to Cuba,” he added.
All of this points to increased travel from the US to Cuba, including by tourists, and in such circumstances tourists from countries other than the US are likely to follow suit.
Based on an official statement issued days after the announcement by Obama and Castro, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) is not worried that Cuba could emerge as a larger tourism force in the region.
The CTO said the change in diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba was an opportunity to “increase tourist arrivals to the Caribbean”.
“With the US already being the region’s largest source market, producing nearly half of our tourism business, this new development could enhance those numbers. Last year we welcomed over 12 million Americans to our shores. An opportunity to substantially increase that number will be welcomed,” it added, pointing out that Cuba is one of its long-standing and active members.
It said Cuba was “actively engaged in our trade and consumer promotions in Canada, Latin America, and Europe” and that it looked forward to “including Cuba in our programmes in the United States”.
The CTO added, however, that “an unusually large inflow of new travellers to the Caribbean will have varying effects on Cuba and the rest of the region”, and that it would “provide the technical resources necessary to manage the growtn, reduce any dislocation, and help create sustainable tourism development strategies throughout our member countries”.
In a recent report published by NBC News, Pauline Frommer, co-president of American travel guidebook publisher Frommer Media, said Caribbean destinations popular with US tourists “would be foolish not to worry” about Cuba’s renewed ties with the US.
But she said because hotel capacity, air routes and other tourism-oriented infrastructure in Cuba needed improvement, the full impact of the liberalisation would not be felt for about two years.
Donna Forde, chargé d’affaires of Barbados embassy in Cuba, said Barbados should see improved relations between the US and Cuba as an opportunity to “work together to boost travel”, rather than view its Caribbean partner as a threat.