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José Carlos de Santiago

Nearly two years following the announcement of new diplomatic ties between Cuba and the U.S., there’s still a long way to go to actually watch the real impact this process might have on both the island nation’s economy and tourism.
Even though the first ripple effects are popping up now -increasing number of travelers, the start of scheduled flights and more businesspeople eager to do business in Cuba- a stunning avalanche of American entrepreneurs and sunbathers, forecast by so many people, is yet to be seen, especially because the fifty-plus-year-old U.S. embargo on the island remains very much in place.
However, consequences are already visible. On the one hand, Cuba is on a feverish binge of travel-oriented new builds and fresh infrastructure; on the other hand, the rest of the Caribbean destinations are bracing for the repercussions the aforesaid avalanche could bring.
What’s the impact this process might have on travel and the economy of both Cuba and the Caribbean? Excelencias, that has watched closely the evolution of the Cuban and the overall regional markets for nearly twenty years, puts out this special issue to shed more light on this ongoing process that for many is no doubt a point of no return.