Madrid/The unprecedented crisis suffered by the Island forces this year the International Tourism Fair (FITCuba) to be reduced as much as possible and will take place, between May 7 and 9, in a “hybrid format”, most of it virtually. The Government has not reported this in the official press, but it has sent a communicated to the specialized mediaas Travel Trade Caribbean (TTC).
According to the report sent by the Ministry of Tourism, the days of May 7 and 8, dedicated to commercial negotiations, “will be carried out entirely through a specialized virtual platform,” of which more information will be announced “during the coming weeks.” The 9th will be the only in-person event open to the public, in the Josone Park in Varadero.
The organizing teams, the government information also indicates, “are finalizing the technical coordination to guarantee the success of the event.” Likewise, the Ministry thanks “the attention” and “regular follow-up” to FITCuba, which each year brings together professionals from the sector from all over the world to promote the Island as a destination.
This 2026 edition will be dedicated to Canada, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between both countries
This 2026 edition will be dedicated to Canada, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between both countries. There is another not so happy coincidence: traditionally the first source of international travelers to the Island, in the first months of the year it has plummeted by 30%.
The North American country was, in fact, one of the first, along with Russia, to cancel all its routes to Cuba, after the announcement, last February 10that there was not enough kerosene to refuel at any of the nine international airports for at least a month. In an alert issued to his compatriots, he has also advised: do not travel to the island.
On March 4, the country announced that it was extending the warning of a lack of fuel for aircraft at all its airports until April 10, and restrictive measures remain in place for the entire sector. The decrease in foreign visitors is noticeable even in the traditionally most touristy places, such as the center of Havana or even Varaderoand the closure of luxury hotels is shocking, especially the controversial Iberostar Selection Havanawhich occupies the skyscraper located on central 23rd Avenue known as Tower K.
The blow to Cuban tourism due to the crisis aggravated by the United States oil blockade after its intervention in Venezuela was confirmed on March 27, with the publication of data for the month of February, the first with international flights suspended due to lack of fuel.
The Island registered only 77,663 international travelers in a month that is part of the high season and has never been disastrous. Last year, already with resoundingly negative figures, 178,263 arrived, 56.4% more than now.
If the data for January and February are added, only 262,496 people traveled to the Island, compared to 374,267 in the same period of the previous year. The drop is 30%, with the aggravating factor that a year ago the figure had also fallen 30% compared to 2024.
In 2025, Cuba closed with just 1.8 million international visitors, the worst record since 2002 if the pandemic years are excluded. The hotel occupancy rate fell to 21.5% in the first half and the main source markets, Canada and Russia, also fell. The 4.7 million tourists reached in 2018, during the thaw with the United States, are very far away.
