Cuba is preparing to open borders and welcome back tourism with open arms. Locals are seen returning to everyday jobs, crowds and craft vendors, the all famous Malecon seafront regains its vibrant life.
The island’s airports are set to open fully on the 15th of November to kick start its tourism industry which suffered immensely during the covid pandemic. A large-scale vaccine rollout has managed to bring down infection rates in the past months and bring the economy on track to recovery. However, opening of borders pose the risk of a covid resurgence as well.
According to the Ministry of Health, 7.3 million locals aged two and above have been administered with required vaccine doses. However, officials still plan to be cautious with the arrival of tourists, making face masks mandatory along with a negative PCR test.
Cuba has eased strict covid measures in past weeks, allowing schools to reopen and public transport to resume. Restaurants are now permitted to take customers for dine-in after enduring months of delivery-only services. In 2019, Cuba welcomed approximately 4.2 million tourists and generated a revenue of $3 billion. The figure dropped drastically during the pandemic and caused many tourist-related businesses to shut down.
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