The Canadian government updated this Tuesday the risk level for travelers who decide to travel to Cuba due to “the lack of basic necessities, including food, medicine and fuel.” The island had received this warning last week due to the passage of Idalia and the “risk of natural and climate disasters”, a temporary phenomenon whose warning was withdrawn yesterday, but this time the island has earned the yellow badge – “extreme precautionary measures “ – due to the shortage situation, which is already affecting the entire tourism industry, including vehicles and catering establishments.
The warning by risk level is part of the advice for travelers that most governments give to their citizens to warn them about the situation in the country they are traveling to. Canada only has two Latin American countries on its “avoid travel” red list – Haiti and Venezuela. In both cases the danger and the high rate of violence and crime are highlighted, but in the second case the lack of water or medicine is also mentioned.
Most Latin American countries, with the exception of Argentina and Uruguay, are on yellow alert
The orange alert – “Avoid all non-essential travel” – is reserved for a few African countries, while the green alert – “Take usual safety measures” – is the most comprehensive list. Most Latin American countries (with the exception of Argentina and Uruguay) are under yellow alert, although violence or social instability is reported in all cases. Cuba is the only country in its area to move from the green to the yellow list due to its poverty.
In January this year, several tour operators from the North American country, which was the first source of tourists to Cuba, began warning travelers about the situation they would face if they decided to spend their vacation on the island. The consumer association Protegez -vous, a member of the International Consumer Research and Testing, published an article entitled “All inclusive in Cuba: Don’t get your hopes up too high”, in which they collected statements from industry professionals who were afraid of the poor quality of facilities that are considered luxury, as well as the impact that the decline in tourism has had on all of its facilities.
“Seafood will not necessarily be available and it is possible that you will run out of wine, alcohol or soft drinks for a few days,” warned the head of an agency that advises those who particularly value gastronomy from a trip to Cuba advises against their travels. Tour operators also explained how complicated it was to claim compensation as they warned tourists about the risks they were exposing themselves to.
Now it is the Canadian government itself that recommends its population to consider the Cuban economic situation before traveling.
Now it is the Canadian government itself that is proposing to its population to take into account Cuba’s economic situation before traveling, a decision that may cause discomfort among tourism authorities who, determined to highlight Cuba as a safe destination, have put an end to that Carrying the trappings of the misery of its people and in such an important source of currency as Canada.
As of July, the latest month for which consolidated data is available, the North American country had sent 630,041 travelers to the island, well ahead of the second market, that of Cubans abroad, with 210,019. Already in the first quarter of the year, Canadians demonstrated their power over other countries of origin by contributing half of all foreign travelers received by Cuba, 387,071, at a time when there were only 83,670 Cubans outside the island.
The strength of tourism, along with Canadian investment in Cuban mines, actually supports part of the government’s finances and thus supports the regime. Canada is practically the only country where the trade is in favor of the island, since it amounts to 945 million dollars, of which 734 million dollars are due to the export of nickel and cobalt that Sherritt mines in its Moa plants (Holguín). has. However, it only imports $210 million.
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