Abstract
In 2015, a record-breaking 3.5 million visitors-1 million from Canada alone-traveled to Cuba to explore its history, culture, natural splendor, and visit family. That same year, US President Barack Obama relaxed travel restrictions, giving general authorization for a dozen categories of legal travel by US citizens and residents. As a result, US visitors to the island ballooned by 80% between January 2015 and June 2016. And the numbers keep growing: the latest data show that foreign arrivals reached 4 million in 2016.[1] The surge in visitors highlights the potential negative impact of tourism on a developing country's infrastructure, environment, cultural patrimony and local economy-all considered important social determinants of health.
Highlights
In 2015, a record-breaking 3.5 million visitors—1 million from Canada alone—traveled to Cuba to explore its history, culture, natural splendor, and visit family
Most visitors default to drinking bottled water, but in an island ecology visited by four million people a year, this is an environmental disaster waiting to happen
If you’re not familiar with the term experiential travel—where visitors participate in a culture and get to know the people, rather than just observing and photographing them—it is rewarding for all involved and encapsulates RESPECT’s principles for sustainable, crosscultural learning and community building
Summary
In 2015, a record-breaking 3.5 million visitors—1 million from Canada alone—traveled to Cuba to explore its history, culture, natural splendor, and visit family. An alliance of 100 US institutions, organizations, travel agencies and individuals have founded RESPECT (Responsible and Ethical Cuba Travel) to promote mutually beneficial travel policies and align Cuba with the global sustainable travel movement.
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