Cuba records its worst January in Tourism since 2022: sharp decline in visitors

The sharp decline in tourism in Cuba recorded its worst January in three years, according to the official statistics on the island. Despite hotel investments and the opening of new hotels, such as the Iberostar Selection in Havana (the K Tower), the situation regarding visitor arrivals has not turned positive.

Cuba received 196,004 international visitors in January 2025, marking its worst figure for that month since 2022 and a 24.6% drop compared to January 2024, according to data de la Oficina Nacional de Estadística e Información (ONEI).

Canadian tourists remain the majority group in Cuba, with 88,980 visitors in January, followed by the United States (13,666), Russia (11,974), Germany (6,389), and France (4,561).

A relevant fact is that the Cuban community abroad ranked second in arrivals, with more than 21,000 travelers.

Among the top 10 source markets, only Germany showed a slight growth of 3, while Canada led the declines with a drop of 30.

Tourism in Crisis in Cuba: worst January since 2022

The sector turístico, considered a motor clave de la economía cubana, se ha visto afectado por la severe economic crisis and the sanciones estadounidenses, según la oficialidad. Pero, también hay otros detalles, como la escasez de alimentos, los apagones, la falta de combustible, la mala atención hotelera, mal estado de los hoteles y la alta competitividad en el Caribe.

Cuba  incumplió su meta de 2,7 millones de visitantes en 2024 y ahora busca atraer 2,6 millones en 2025, pero si la situación se comporta como hasta ahora tampoco cumplirá su meta.

Las cifras actuales distan mucho de los 4.2 million tourists in 2019 y los 4.6 million in 2018, antes de la pandemia.

Mientras Cuba enfrenta esta crisis, destinos como Punta Cana (República Dominicana) y Cancún (México) están registrando máximos históricos de turistas, consolidando su liderazgo en la región caribeña.