Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 3 July 2017

New Trump rules on Cuba travel leaves winners and losers

Associated Press ment in Havana’s trendy rules, only licensed tour off-limits. current tours have been
HAVANA, CUBA - President Vedado neighborhood. operators can take Ameri- designed with small family-
Donald Trump’s new policy Those canceling included cans to Cuba on “people- BAN ON BUSINESS WITH THE run operations to give our
on Cuba travel has winners two Americans worried to-people” trips. That’s “too MILITARY guests an authentic Cuban
and losers: Group tour op- about legal requirements, much of a hassle,” Bunten The new rules also ban experience,” said Carnival
erators hope to sell more including documenting said. Americans from doing busi- spokesman Roger Frizzell.
trips, but bed-and-break- their spending. ness with entities controlled Meanwhile private entre-
by Cuban military and intel- preneurs worry the govern-
ligence agencies, includ- ment may not allow U.S.
ing some 50 hotels. tour groups to simply shift
Many tour operators say their business from state-run
that’s no problem because hotels to the private sector,
they already use privately at least not without hefty
owned villas, casas and commissions.
eateries, and engage with In the decade since Presi-
local guides, entrepreneurs dent Raul Castro began al-
and artists. lowing more private-sector
Caulfield said the Cubans activity, the government
can also fill up hotels that has viewed entrepreneurs
are off-limits to Americans as both vital sources of
with tourists from other economic growth and as
countries, thereby freeing dangerous competitors for
up rooms elsewhere for U.S. sluggish state-run business-
groups. es.
Meanwhile, small bed-and-
breakfast owners plan to SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN
create informal associa- PEOPLE
tions of neighboring busi- Rubio also suggested that
nesses so they can accom- independent travel might
modate larger American continue. Rubio tweeted
groups. that the new rules allow
Tourists take a selfie at the Bodeguita Del Medio bar in Havana, Cuba. President Donald J. Piegza said lodging costs “individual Americans” to
Trump’s new policy on Cuba travel has winners and losers: Group tour operators hope to sell increased last year but are “travel to Cuba under Sup-
more trips, but bed-and-breakfast owners in Cuba said they’re losing business.
(AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) coming down, allowing port for the Cuban people
Classic Journeys to drop category” as long as they
fast owners in Cuba say “We get a lot of Americans. GROUP TOUR BOOM OR tour prices from $4,995 for use “privately owned lodg-
they’re losing business. We’re alarmed,” said Eliset PUBLIC CONFUSION? four days in Cuba to $3,995. ing.”
Five of 12 private bed-and- Ruiz, manager of a nine- Tour operators “should be But Lowell thinks prices That’s heartening to com-
breakfast owners in Ha- room bed-and-breakfast in opening Champagne” be- could go either way. With panies like ViaHero, which
vana and Cuba’s southern Trinidad. “We’ve had a lot cause of the new policy, fewer individual Americans creates personalized itiner-
colonial city of Trinidad told of cancellations for June said John Caulfield, former traveling, private lodging aries connecting individual
The Associated Press that and July.” chief of mission of the U.S. options could increase, Americans with artists, en-
they received cancella- Alex Bunten of Charlotte, Interests Section in Havana driving prices down. But trepreneurs and other Cu-
tions after Trump’s June 16 Vermont, hoped to go to and co-founder of the non- if tour groups forced out ban locals. ViaHero CEO
announcement . Cuba with his girlfriend in profit Innovadores Founda- of military-controlled ho- Greg Buzulencia thinks
“It’s contradictory that August “without the hassle tion , which seeds innova- tels start booking private ViaHero trips will qualify
(Trump) says he want to of tour groups and sched- tion in Cuba. homes, prices could stay under the “support for the
help civil society, the Cuban ules and such. We like In theory, the new rules high. Cuban people” category
people, but what he’s do- watching the world go by, should spur “an increase Hotels aren’t an issue for of travel permitted by the
ing is hurting them, hurting eating good food, not be- in demand,” said Access cruises because passen- U.S. because ViaHero’s itin-
bed-and-breakfast own- ing herded by an umbrella- Trips CEO Tamar Lowell. gers sleep on the ships. But eraries “start conversations
ers in this case,” said Tony holding, annoyingly inter- But some Americans “will Carnival Corp. says even its and promote independent
Lopez, who rents rooms for esting tour guide.” be confused by the new activities on the ground in businesses and activity” in
$30-$50 nightly in a three- But Bunten nixed the idea policy,” wrongly assuming Cuba already comply with Cuba outside of govern-
bedroom, 16th-floor apart- because under the new that all Cuba travel is now the new rules. “Many of our ment-run spheres.q