Madrid/After a terrible five-year period in terms of tourism –an old machine for generating foreign currency for the State–, the arrival of only 184,833 international travelers this january to Cuba is a very bad fact, but not as bad as one might expect. If compared to last year, the number of visitors falls only 5.9%, when 196,004 arrived. That January 2025 the decline was much more abrupt, since in the same month of 2024 259,819 had arrived, a hit of 25% less.
In 2017 and 2019 there were almost 500,000 travelers only in the month of Januarybut in a country in tatters, even a number of arrivals as negative as the current one, in the heart of the high season, is almost a relief and the explanation is that some nationalities leave surprising growth data. The most paradigmatic case is that of Argentina, which although it sends a small number of tourists to Cuba, has been one of the few that has improved for months and left a spectacular percentage this January, over 80%. In January 2025, 4,057 Argentines traveled to the Island, compared to 7,336 this year.
I don’t miss the taste of travelers from that country for Cuba. In the last decade, only one Latin American country has been consistently ahead of Argentina and continues to be: Mexico. The North American country closed last year with 56,438 tourists, more than the 49,428 Argentines. The difference, however, is in the evolution: while Mexicans fell 21%, Argentines rose 13.6%. This January opens with a similar panorama, in which Mexico contributed 3,384 tourists (almost 8% less than the same month in 2025), half that of Argentina.
In the last decade, only one Latin American country has been consistently ahead of Argentina and continues to be: Mexico
There are several reasons that explain this curious phenomenon, which has placed the South American nation as the fourth market in the month of January. One of them is the resumption of charter flights from Andes Líneas Aéreas to Cayo Largo, a route that was very popular before the pandemic and was suspended until, in January 2025, Havanatur and Multitravel reactivated those closed routes. Before, any Argentine tourist who wanted to go to Cuba had to fly to Havana and from there to the tourist poles they would have to travel for several hours.
Cubana de Aviación had covered flights intermittently since 2023 between the Argentine capital and Havana, after stopping in Cayo Coco, routes that were canceled in 2024. when the oil company YPF stopped supplying fuel to the state. In addition, Aerolíneas Argentinas also stopped flying to the Island in January 2024 due to the drop in tourism, considering that it was not a profitable operation.
Havanatur made an advertising campaign in Argentina in 2025, the fruits of which are now being reaped. Cuba’s stand at the International Tourism Fair (FIT) in Buenos Aires last September was one of the largest. There the Cuba Única campaign was deployed, the eVisa was presented (costing $25 to simplify bureaucracy), agreements were signed to reactivate charter flights and a great offer was launched for the end of the year.
The promotion included 30% discounts for those who booked their trips before November and a locked price, something of special value in an Argentina accustomed to monetary volatility.
In addition, both the authorities of the Ministry of Tourism and representatives of the Meliá and Iberostar chains traveled to the country and fostered ties in the sector at different events, including the second edition of the Ola Convention in Augustto train Argentine agents in the promotion of the Cuba destination.
Currently, a 9-day all-inclusive trip to the Island has an average price of between 1,200 and 1,800 dollars, compared to 1,300 to 1,900 to the Dominican Republic. Although those who choose the second destination can enjoy better conditions, the price has continued to be an interesting factor for Argentines. It remains to be seen what happens from now on, with the current serious crisis and the message of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to warn of the risks of tourism in Cuba.
Currently, a 9-day trip to the island with all inclusive has an average price of between 1,200 and 1,800 dollars, compared to 1,300 to 1,900 to the Dominican Republic.
“Given the deterioration of living conditions in Cuba, Argentine citizens are recommended to avoid or postpone tourist trips to the island. It is suggested that those currently residing in that country remain attentive to the evolution of the situation. There are fuel shortages, even in tourist areas, prolonged interruptions of the electricity supply, effects on access to running water and shortages of food and medicine,” the Foreign Ministry said less than a month ago.
There are more surprising data at the beginning of 2026, such as that of Canada, which despite everything that has happened, took off compared to January 2025. Last year, 88,987 travelers arrived on the Island, 12% less than the 99,7244 this year. However, the worst is feared when this February and the March that is about to begin are counted, with the operations of all flights already suspended due to the oil blockade, which has left Cuban airports without kerosene with which to supply foreign companies.
“As of 2023, dependence on Canada has been disproportionate, to the point that its tourists not only far exceed those from the other 3 large emitters (Cuban community abroad, the United States and Russia) but also the total from the rest of the countries,” Cuban economist Pedro Monreal said a few days ago. This January, Canada continued to make the number of tourists from any other country pale, with more than half of the total, but the situation has become impossible to believe.
Russia has also recovered since last year, when its tourists had experienced a large drop compared to January 2024. However, this time they improve the figure for 2025, with 15,688, 31% more than last year with 11,967. It is known today that the Eurasian giant was the second largest source of tourists in the first month of the year, one day after the evacuation of those on the Island ended this February.
With much more discreet figures, the Chinese take-off also stands out, which went from 2,349 in January 2025 to 3,460 in 2026, 47.3% more, also the result of the effort to attract that coveted traveler who, in addition to being potentially large, spends a lot of money on their outings.
On the other hand, the surprise is in the United States. Travelers from that country have dropped by 50%, from 14,027 last year to 6,997 this year, and a similar fate awaits the Cuban community abroad, much of it coming from that country. In January 2025, 21,015 people born on the Island arrived to visit it, but this January only 12,574 did so, 41% less.
