Havana/The Thai chain Minor Hotels, the former Spanish NH group, ended its operations in Cuba and stopped managing the NH Capri with 500 rooms and the NH Collection Victoria with 31, both located in the Havana neighborhood of El Vedado. His departure occurs in the middle of the collapse of tourism on the islandwhich closed 2025 with only 1,810,663 international visitors, far from the 2.6 million expected. An abysmal difference when compared to the 4,711,910 that arrived in 2018.
The company with 560 establishments in the world deleted the Island from the destinations it promotes on its portal. A country in which hotels with empty rooms have predominated, to which are added constant blackouts and fuel shortages. The operating results of NH Capri and the NH Collection Victoria did not seem to convince a chain that last year completed 24 openings globally, many of them in new strategic destinations.
Business sources told EFE that “the business climate on the Island is complex and is reflected in tourism, which has fallen substantially in recent years, and which registers hotel occupancy rates that barely exceed 20% (compared to figures higher than 70-75%, which are considered good for the sector).”
The company with 560 establishments in the world deleted the Island from the destinations it promotes on its portal.
For nearly two decades, a steady stream of travelers sparked a tourism boom, bringing the Island up to $3 billion a year in gross revenue, with net profits never reported after expenses were deducted. According to Columbia Law School figuresin 2014 the Gross Foreign Exchange Income was 2,546.1 million dollars, in 2015 (2,818.6), 2016 (3,068.6), 2017 (3,310.7), 2018 (2,782.2) and (2,641.1).
Given the dark outlook for tourism on the Island, Minor’s new vision pointed to Peru, with the opening of NOW Lima, being the first hotel of this brand in Latin America. In addition to others in Brazil, Denmark, Italy, Portugal, France and the Balearic Islands with an NH Collection in Ibiza.
At the end of January, Minor Hotels reported global growth of 5% in its financial results in 2025, with an average daily rate increasing year-on-year by 2.5% and occupancy increasing by 2.4%. “The demand continues, the volume continues to enter,” said the CEO of the hotel chain, Gonzalo Aguilar.
Minor’s departure joins the British multinational Unilever—manufacturer of cleaning and personal hygiene products—located in the Mariel Special Development Zone.
Minor’s departure adds to the British multinational Unilever —manufacturer of cleaning and personal hygiene products—, located in the Special Development Zone of Mariel. The allied company of the state-owned company Suchel removed its foreign workers from the island at the end of January, but has not suspended its activities for the moment.
What has coincided with the alert from embassies and their contingency and evacuation plans. The United States Embassy in Havana issued an alert last Tuesday in which he highlighted the constant “scheduled and unscheduled” blackouts that occur almost all day and affect the water supply, lighting, cooling and communications.
“Although some businesses, hotels and hospitals use generators during power outages, they may not be able to maintain their services due to lack of fuel,” states the message published on the X platform.
The Embassy reminds U.S. citizens on the Island or planning to travel to “be aware that there have been incidents in which their fellow citizens have been denied entry upon arrival, as well as an increase in regime-sponsored protest activity directed against the United States.”
