Author: Becky Lukovic

Cuba is hot Hot HOT!  With the appearance of cruise ships this past year, travel to Cuba has been easier than ever.  However, travel to Cuba is a fluid thing with requirements changing year to year.  As of November 9th, the rules have changed a bit again.  This time, travelers must travel with a tour group for a people-to-people program.  Independent travel to Cuba for people-to-people programs are no longer allowed. Below are the specific details according to ASTA: Prohibition on Individual People-to-People Travel: Going forward, Americans traveling under the educational “people-to-people” license will have to do so as part of a licensed tour group, as was the case before last year. In the case of an individual people-to-people trip where the traveler has “already completed at least one travel-related transaction (such as purchasing a flight or reserving accommodation)” prior to the President’s June 16 announcement, such travel will be authorized. No Transactions with Companies Controlled by Cuban Military: Americans will now be prohibited from engaging in direct financial transactions with entities and sub-entities identified by the State Department on the Cuba Restricted List (published November 9th). The list, which includes a number of hotels in Havana and elsewhere on the island, will be maintained by the State Department and “periodically updated as necessary.” However, any travel-related transaction in place prior to the State Department’s listing of any entity or...