Closing hotels in Cuba for Cuban customers? This is what is known

Several days ago, news spread in Cuba that some hotels in the Keys north of Villa Clara province would close their reservations to Cuban citizens, allowing entry only to island residents with another nationality and a foreign passport. What is known about this news?

The Mexican travel and tourism agency, Travel Portal, was one of those that reported this: “We have been officially notified by the following hotels Dhawa Cayo Santa María and Angsana Cayo Santa María that as of this date we see the need to close sales to customers of Cuban nationality, Because of the owners’ policies and rules that they have to abide by, not because of discriminatory issues.”

The agency even warns that “hotels will cancel reservations for Cuban customers.”

Along the same lines, an alleged message from Angsana Hotel sales manager was leaked on social networks reporting the action:

“As of the date, we see ourselves as needing to close sales to customers of Cuban nationality at our facility, whose passport will be requested from all customers at the time of check-in,” the statement reads. broadcast message.

Are hotels in Cuba closed to Cubans?

In the said letter, the Board affirmed that “this action is not due to a matter of discrimination, but rather because of our owners’ policies and rules that we must abide by.”

We ask that you take this into account when making reservations for your clients, and carefully check their nationality. In the event that a Cuban client is nominated in the reservation, we will find ourselves in the unfortunate need to refuse him entry to the hotel and cancel his reservation immediately, at no additional cost. This action is not negotiable. , was added.

Workers of Cayo Santa Maria confirmed the news to Cuban Directory. “This is generally in the Pole, and not only in a few hotels. There is no offer and even acceptance of some reservations as the citizens used to do with us, everything is finished, and it does not affect the reservations already made.

“My understanding is that Cubans who live abroad can travel, but they have another passport that is not Cuban. Of course, they can only bring relatives with the same status,” they announced in our newsroom.

Last June 12, the Gaviota Tourism Group, which controls 48% of hotel facilities in Cuba according to official data, denied the news “about restricting entry to our facilities for national clients.”

They stated in NB.

“The authenticity of the supposed letter from a Gaviota executive cannot be confirmed, but I have confirmed its content through 3 sources. Even passport request details for access. So it is likely that the letter is genuine, despite Gaviota’s denials.” books Cuban journalist Michael González Vivero.