The Cuban Ministry of Tourism blamed Western sanctions against Russia for the collapse in the arrival of Russian tourists to the island, a market that for years functioned as one of the main lifelines of the now former locomotive of the Cuban economy.
Cuban officials say the limitations imposed on Moscow’s long-range civilian air fleet have drastically reduced the number of flights, made tickets more expensive and caused thousands of travelers to cancel their plans.
Oscar Henríquez Díaz, commercial specialist of the Ministry of Tourism (Mintur), explained this Friday to the agency Sputnik in Havana that “the main cause of this decrease is the reduction in air operations due to the unjust Western sanctions against that sister nation.”
A declining market
Between January and September 2025, only 58,300 Russian visitors arrived in Cuba, a drop of 41% compared to the same period of the previous year and an even greater decline when compared to the 185,000 tourists who traveled in 2024, according to data from the Russian Federal Border Service cited by the agency. Interfax.
The collapse directly hits the Cuban economy, which saw the Russian market as a stable source of foreign currency after the loss of the European traveler.
The impact goes beyond statistics: behind each visitor there is a network of indirect jobs – transporters, taxi drivers, bars, guides, artisans and hostels – that are now seeing their activity drastically reduced.
The price of flights, an obstacle
The main problem, Russian tour operators agree, is the price of the flights. Rates have skyrocketed to unprecedented levels and in many cases cost several times more than the hotel stay itself.
Filip Obruchev-Mironov, commercial director of Intourist, described it as a “perfect storm”: fewer long-range planes, the disappearance of the blocks of seats that made packages cheaper, and prohibitive tickets.
Examples disclosed by the Russian Union of the Travel Industry illustrate the magnitude of the problem: a week in a four-star hotel in Varadero costs 42,500 rubles without flights (about $530); with flights, the package jumps to 292 thousand rubles for two people (about $3,600). For December, prices rise even higher, up to 315 thousand rubles (about 4 thousand dollars) for five-star accommodation.
Cuban strategy to maintain the market
Despite the drop, Mintur insists that Russia continues to be one of the three main markets for tourists to Cuba. The official strategy focuses on diversifying the offer beyond sun and beach, with nature, culture and events products.
Henriquez highlighted that destinations such as Viñales and Topes de Collantes offer experiences of biodiversity and local traditions that captivate the Russian traveler. Cultural excursions are also promoted in Havana, including visits to sites linked to the famous American writer Ernest Hemingway and tastings of cocktails such as the mojito and the daiquiri, established on the international palate.
Mintur has strengthened its presence at Russian tourism fairs such as MITT, Intourmarket and Leisure, and carries out promotional campaigns in cities such as Saint Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan and Rostov-on-Don.
Varadero, the star destination
Varadero, in the province of Matanzas, continues to be the main attraction for Russian tourists. Internationally recognized as one of the best beaches in the world, it concentrates almost a third of the total tourism income in Cuba and the largest number of rooms, about 22 thousand, of international standard.
Other destinations preferred by Russian travelers are Jardines del Rey —with facilities in Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo and Cayo Santa María—, the province of Holguín and Cayo Largo del Sur. Havana also maintains demand among those seeking city tourism.
With the start of the high season in October, flights from Moscow and Saint Petersburg to Havana, Varadero and Holguín increased.
Airlines such as Rossiya Airlines, Conviasa, Nordwind and the tour operator Pegas Touristik have maintained operations, with very high aircraft occupancy.
The Mintur assures that these connections allow visitors to enjoy not only the main destination, but also excursions to nearby regions. “We are committed to making Cuba a preferred destination for the Russian traveler,” said Henríquez.
Tourism continues without taking off and registers its worst October in four years
Perspectives with Russia, Canada as an exception and 2025 goal not met beforehand
In the long term, Cuba is committed to exceeding the figure of half a million Russian visitors annually. To do this, it works on products aimed at segments with higher potential, such as event tourism, incentives and experiences linked to health, sports and education.
The Mintur considers that the political will between both countries guarantees the sustainability of tourist exchange, despite the current difficulties. “Sharing the attributes of the destination with the Russian client fills us with pride,” said Henríquez.
The decline in Russian tourism represents a challenge for the island, which depends on the sector as one of its main sources of income. With the decline of the European market and the difficulties in attracting visitors from North America – even Canada accused a slip that was later overcome – it had worked as a lifesaver. Now, the air crisis and Western sanctions put that stability at risk.
Meanwhile, Canada continues to be the driving force of Cuban tourism as it is the country that sends the most tourists, far above other traditional markets such as Russia or Europe.
According to data cited by Ottawa, 185,000 Canadian visitors arrived in 2024, while in the first nine months of 2025, the arrival of Russian tourists fell to 58,300, while the Canadian flow showed a rebound in July of that year, with more than 50,000 visitors in a single month.
In the first 10 months of 2025, the island received 1,477,892 international visitors, 19.9% less than in the same period of 2024, according to the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI).
The entity specified that in October 111,172 international travelers arrived on the island. Although September’s record improves, it is the worst October since 2021.
In this way, the government’s intention to add 2.6 million visitors in 2025 is confirmed as unviable and it is also very difficult to exceed the 2.2 million in 2024, which was already the worst mark in 17 years, not counting the two years most affected by covid-19.
For thousands of Cuban families, tourism continues to be the only means of subsistence. The contraction of the Russian market threatens to deepen the economic and social crisis in a country that faces shortages and inflation of essential products to sustain contemporary life in basic terms.
