Cuba's Tourist Arrivals Crash 62% Amid US Sanctions and Fuel Crisis

Cuba's tourism industry has suffered a dramatic collapse, with official figures showing a 62% decline in visitor arrivals during the first seven months of 2026 compared to the same period last year. The National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) reported that only 419,000 tourists visited the island between January and July, a sharp drop from the 1.1 million recorded in 2025.

The data highlights the severe impact of renewed US pressure on the Caribbean nation. In January, the US imposed a stringent energy embargo, compounding an existing economic crisis driven by long-standing sanctions and a domestic financial reform that triggered high inflation.

Between May and July, the US State Department targeted the tourism sector directly, imposing sanctions that included freezing accounts and barring companies from the US financial system. This prompted major international hotel chains, including Meliá, Iberostar, and Royalton, to suspend their operations in Cuba. Payment processing through Visa and Mastercard was also withdrawn, and several major airlines, such as Air France, Iberia, and Turkish Airlines, halted flights after the government announced planes could no longer refuel on the island.

The tourism sector, which had become a vital economic engine over the past three decades, previously generated approximately $3 billion in annual revenue. Cuba welcomed around 4.3 million tourists in 2019, underscoring the scale of the current downturn. The ONEI report also notes the visible impact on the ground, with hotels, hostels, and private accommodations closed, and beaches and attractions largely empty of international visitors.