The number of Canadians who visited island countries in Cuba dropped by double digits last winter, raising questions about the issues behind the slide.
Data from the Cuban National Statistics Office shows that the number of Canadians traveling there is at least 30% lower than in January, February and March last year.
However, the decline has exceeded tourists from Canada, and Cuba has also reported a decrease in tourism visits from countries such as Russia, Spain and Italy.
Directors of the Toronto Cuba Tourism Committee are not abroad this week and cannot comment. But the country's national tourism minister has recently hinted at the “complex” challenges facing Cuba.
Several domestic airlines and travel agencies have confirmed that they have seen less travel to the Caribbean, attracting one million Canadian tourists each year in the years leading up to the pandemic.
Amra Durakovic, communications director at Flight Center in Canada, told CBC News via email.
Cuban observers say the country's growing economic and social challenges (for those who risk away from the resort and those reported by the media) could lead to a decline in tourism.
“The reality is that there has been a significant change in the country since the early 1990s, since Canadians began to visit the island in large numbers,” said Cuban economist Ricardo Torres Pérez.
The displayed problem
A prominent and recurring problem in Cuba is its unreliable power grid and its impact on the lives of the country and people.
Cuba has been repeatedly engaging in extensive power failures for months, including back-to-back occasions when it was hit by a series of hurricanes on the island last fall. There are also major power outages in December, and there is another in March.
Cuban analyst Andrés Pertierra, who previously lived and studied in Havana, fought two major wars in Cuba last year.
He recalls pictures shown in the news of the dark streets and is juxtaposed with the lights of the hotel working.
“How do you provide the image of a carefree lifestyle, fast, fun trip?” Pettiera asked.
Durakovic of the Flight Center said travelers are focusing on the public issues that have been around Cuba, including regular power outages and the limited availability of some essentials and services, saying “It is understandable that this can be understood to play a role in travel decisions.”
Since July 2023, Ottawa has warned Canadians to “action with caution” if they travel to Cuba. Complete travel consultations show food, medicine and fuel shortages and ongoing challenges in the power grid.
Current17:49Repeated power outages in Cuba reflect deeper problems
Cuba’s correspondent with Guardian Ruridh Nicoll told guest host Susan Ormiston how multiple power shutdowns on the island point to an overall decline in government services – it has few real allies, is economically bound and has the risk of becoming a failure state.
Torres Pérez said the problems were related to the ongoing economic crisis in Cuba.
“This crisis has affected the quality of services, the status of infrastructure and has led to frequent power outages,” he said, noting that there are also issues regarding “solid waste accumulated on the streets” to keep the city clean.
Both Torres Pérez and Pertierra say that Cuba saw more crime problems than ever in these struggles.
“While one might say that the island is still relatively safe compared to other Latin American countries, crime is increasing, including theft,” Torres Pérez said.
“I love this place”
But the sunny weather in Cuba and the baits on the beach are thriving, and for some Canadians, this is where they will continue to visit.
Quebec resident Michel Dubois last visited Cuba in December and said he would return there twice this year.
“I love this place, that's it,” said Dubois, a retired television photographer and editor. ”
Dubois said he made friends after a repeated trip to Cuba and helped them with the necessary conditions such as flashlights during his visit.
Sharon Pedley, of Brampton, Ontario, intends to do so when he returns to Cuba later this year.
She and her husband will have a suitcase full of essentials, such as over-the-counter medications – brought to Cuban friends they met before visiting.
“You'll find a lot of tourists I know, and they do the same,” Pedley said.
The support provided by Pedley, Dubois and other like-minded tourists in this way may benefit individual Cubans, but these tourists also provide a vital source of foreign currency for the country.
Cuban analyst Pertierra pointed out that as tourism weakens, “this will mean less foreign currency”, which is crucial for the country to import the goods and supplies needed.
Turn to China?
Reuters reported in the past week that Cuba is using China as a possible source of new tourists.
In March, the official Cuban newspaper (Guban Granma) praised the increasing number of Chinese tourists traveling to Cuba in recent years – from more than 8,000 tourists in 2022 to 26,760 in 2024.
However, those figures are well below the 500,000 Canadians who traveled to Cuba in the first three months of 2025, compared with the 30% rating last year.
Despite Cuba statistics, Canadian travel providers point to ongoing consumer interest.
“Although bookings were slightly less in early 2025 compared to the previous year, we also saw signs of stability last month,” Marie-Christine Pouliot, a public relations manager at Air Transat, said via email.
Meanwhile, Air Canada told CBC News: “Cuba has been performing steadily for us.”
Torres Pérez said Canada has long been the single tourism market in Cuba. When asked how it is possible to take action to drive these numbers, he suggested efforts could be made to improve the quality of service and ensure that the hospitality industry has the supply needed to serve visitors.
