Great news for American travelers and new tourism prospects open up for Cuba as Obama lifts the US travel embargo.

1. US Tourism Industry Can’t
Wait For You to Go to Cuba
Ryan Romo

2. Recently, the United States of America
was surprised when president Barack
Obama announced that he was planning
to fully open diplomatic and economic
relations with Cuba, rolling back a
section of US foreign policy that had
been around since the early 1960′s

3. While this has been a somewhat
controversial move in both public and
political forums, most people agree
that it was the right move and that the
embargo was literally one of the most
pointless aspects of US foreign policy

4. It accomplished nothing that it was meant to
(cripple the communist Castro government so that
freedom and democracy would supersede it) and
instead just harmed the Cuban population, turned
the people against the US, and allowed the
government to blame the embargo for any
shortcomings the country was facing

5. While relations have been thawing in the past
(Americans with family in Cuba can visit and
it’s possible to get to Cuba on a cultural or
educational exchange), this is a huge first step
and the opening of economic and diplomatic
relations promises to change both countries

6. Some of the groups most excited for the
recent thaw are tourism groups on both sides

7. While the lifting of the embargo isn’t
going to fully open Cuba to tourism,
it will still be enough to allow
Americans to travel to the country
and spend their money there

8. Tourism companies on both sides are
excited to be able to introduce Americans
to Cuban culture (and vice-versa) and to
have money exchanging hands again

9. Cuba is now going to be the target of
waves of developers too as they fight
over the most pristine territory on which
to build luxury resorts that can take
advantage of the newly opened country

10. With Cuba being like a step back to the
1950′s, companies are expecting people to
line up for tickets and hotel rooms

11. Full tourism in Cuba is going to need approval
from Congress and will be forced to rely on
Cuba’s weak infrastructure and economy

12. The government is also most likely going
to continue to closely monitor tourist
movements and make sure that Americans
don’t travel to where they’re forbidden

13. While there are still roadblocks in the
way on this open tourism, companies on
both sides are lining up and waiting
impatiently for the influx of Americans
and cash that will eventually make landfall

14. To read more, visit:
!
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/
2014-12-19/thawed-cubaus-relations-could-
open-up-travel

15. Thanks for watching!