Díaz-Canel proposes a direct flight connection between St. Petersburg and Havana to boost Russian tourism.
14ymedio, Madrid, 6 May 2025 — Miguel Díaz-Canel’s trip to Russia to attend the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Army over Nazi Germany, which will be commemorated on May 9, is front page news without any concrete results of the visit being given. The appointment is turning out to be more institutional and propagandistic than the government wanted, which yesterday made an announcement that it’s not even that.
The Cuban president met with the governor of Saint Petersburg, Alexandr Beglov, at the Smolny Palace, the Bolshevik headquarters in the October Revolution, and they explored options for establishing direct flights between that city and Havana. And that is, for now, the non-news that international agencies have reproduced, quoting statements from Díaz-Canel to Tass. The president said that work is being done to increase the number of tourists from Russia’s second largest city to Cuba and that options are being considered for a route to Havana.
Whether this connection will be achieved remains to be seen. The companies must decide whether they are compensated by this route, just in the middle of the decline of Russian tourism to Cuba. In the first quarter of the year, the decrease in this market was 50%, with only 33,395 travelers arriving from Russia compared to the 66,879 of last year.
In the first quarter of this year, the market fell by 50%, with only 33,395 passengers arriving from Russia, compared to the 66,879 of last year
The announcement by Díaz-Canel has led the Russian press to refloat a report that the Cuban Minister of Tourism, Juan Carlos García Granda, gave last week at the International Fair of the sector (FitCuba), which had not yet been publicized. In the midst of a frenzy to attract Russians that did not succeed, the Cuban government approved in early 2023 the use of Mir cards on the island and committed to accelerate the implementation – both in payment and withdrawal of rubles at cash machines – to provide facilities for tourists from Russia.
Apparently dissatisfied with the process, the authorities had spoken on several occasions of a wider expansion, but now they announce the “total” extension and warn of the consequences that resisting the process could entail.
“We have issued clear recommendations for the field of tourism: everyone should accept Mir cards, regardless of technical preferences. We are preparing the second stage: if the business refuses to comply with this requirement, its activities may be limited,” García Granda told Ria Novosti.
The minister said that there are already more than 20,000 hotels and retail stores that accept the Russian card, but that coverage must be complete. In the absence of further details, his statements infer that private or self-employed workers could lose their licenses if they do not accept this payment system, which does not seem to be a sufficient incentive to encourage tourism from Russia.
In the absence of further details, his statements infer that private individuals or self-employed individuals may lose their licenses if they do not accept this payment system
In 2024, the Cuban government estimated that it was possible to attract 200,000 visitors from Russia, based on promising data for 2023 that were influenced by Western sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
However, only 185,816 Russians finally arrived, even though it was one of the best performing sectors, as it grew by 0.5% compared to the tourism losses of almost all countries (only Mexico, with 0.8% more travelers, surpassed Russia). García Granda said then that the forecast of 200,000 should wait until 2025, and he announced deals that have not yet materialized.
“I think we are very close to the fact that the first hotels built by Russian businessmen will appear in Cuba. In addition, a number of existing hotels could be transferred to the management of Russian travel companies,” he said. Nothing substantive has been reported.
It is not a good time to invest in the sector, although the prime minister, Manuel Marrero, announced new measures for a turnaround in tourism policy during FitCuba, plus advantages for China, the market to which he now aspires. Less than a month ago, the Spanish agency EFE reported that the Cuban government is preventing foreign companies from repatriating the currencies in their bank accounts.
According to its sources, it is expected that in return they will be able to open new “unlimited” accounts with monetary backing. These accounts, however, will only admit new capital, because, says EFE, the previous accounts cannot be transferred: only transfers from abroad will be accepted. While some entrepreneurs have regretted a decision that prevents them from taking out their own money, others pointed out that it has been happening for a long time They hope that with the new accounts they will be able to conduct international transactions and repatriate profits.
Among those who do not hesitate to maintain their loyalty, against all odds, is Miquel Fluxà, president of the Balearic hotel company Iberostar, who took advantage of his visit to FitCuba last week to express his confidence in the recovery of tourism on the island.
“I have come all these 30-something years with affection, without looking for anything, and I have felt very respected and loved by the Cubans, which has prompted me to develop all the business we are doing here”
“We believe that things can improve in Cuba,” the businessman told Televisión Cubana. Fluxà pointed out that his company is committed to the development of urban tourism, which seems to endorse his taking over the management of the hotel located in the controversial Tower K in Havana, which opened its doors at the end of February and has received few customers.
“I have come all these 30-something years with affection, without looking for anything, and I have felt very respected and loved by the Cubans, which has prompted me to develop all the business we are doing here. We are trying to do things with the best intention, the best quality,” said Fluxà, who left a declaration of love for his workers on the island.
“I am very satisfied and very proud because we have a group of people who love the company. The important thing is not to do things out of obligation but to do them out of devotion, and we really have a team of people who love the company. Within the circumstances, we try to make them happy and do everything possible to educate them, train them and give them opportunities. People are human, they’re good, and it’s really hard for them not to love Cuba,” he concluded.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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