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Cuba has seen a surge in the number of US tourists. This comes after the US further eased travel and trade restrictions with the country Tuesday, just days before a historic visit to the island by President Barack Obama.
These streets bear no secrets for Nelson. He's been guiding tourists around his native Havana for two decades.But since it became easier for Americans to travel to Cuba last year, he only works with travelers coming from the United States.
“We have to work only with American tourists because there's such an influx that there’s no time to work with others. It's not that we don't want to, we don't have time. Several groups arrive each week," Nelson said.
Washington just lifted the last meaningful restrictions on travel to Cuba, as the island prepares to welcome an American guest of honour -- President Barack Obama.No regular flights link the two countries yet, but the increase of visitors here is visible everywhere. Tourism rose by 17% in 2015 -- in part because many Americans are rushing to discover the "authentic" Cuba ... before their fellow countrymen are allowed in.
“My fear is always that capitalism is a dangerous thing and I’m afraid they will come in and change for ever the beauty of Havana and bring in too much capitalism and make it something different than what it is,” said Mary Dominis, American tourist.
With such a tourism boost, the island is rapidly running out of space to welcome an ever-growing number of visitors. These past few years, private homeowners have been able to rent rooms in their houses, which complements the offer of state-owned hotels. But soon, the 12,000 rooms available in Havana will not be enough. Professor Jose Luis Perello believes Cuba will need at least four years to develop its infrastructure for the seven million tourists expected yearly from 2018.
"We have the same airports we had 20 years ago. We haven't increased our operational capacity simply because there isn't funding. So far there also isn’t the possibility of direct foreign investment," said Joae Luis Perello, Economu & Tourisric Dev't professor of Havana University.
The US-Cuba thaw is expected to encourage foreign investment and accelerate the development of the island for the hordes of tourists expected to flow in. Still, people here swear that in spite of the changes to come, the soul of Cuba will be left untouched.
