by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:42 AM ET, Mon July 24, 2017
A group of tour operators in the United States has joined forces to limit the possible damage to their businesses as a result of tighter restrictions on travel to Cuba.
According to Reuters.com, President Donald Trump announced a rollback of certain aspects from Barack Obama's historic opening to Cuba, including the enforcement of a ban on Americans going to the island nation as tourists.
Many travelers believed Trump's new rules would mean Cuba was once again off limits, but U.S. tour operators are fighting the misconception by forming a trade group to help explain the regulations to consumers.
The trade group is now called the American Tour Operators in Cuba (ATOC) and includes more than 30 U.S. companies.
"We can work with the new rules with minimal changes, but a pall has been cast over the business and that has me worried going forward," ATOC member and International Expeditions president Steven Cox told Reuters. "Many American travelers are not so well informed and believe that travel to Cuba is being shut off and that just isn't true."
The new rules and regulations from the Trump administration also include limiting visits to 12 existing categories of non-tourist travel and banning the use of hotels and other facilities owned by the Cuban government.
While cruise ships are still permitted to visit the island, there will be heavy security on the people-to-people travel category, as there is a belief from the Trump administration that it's being used to violate the tourist ban.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Hallelujah! Cuba is Still Open[/READMORE]
There is also concern about how the new regulations will impact the growing hotel industry in Cuba and how much banks in the U.S. will be willing to invest in the growth. With airlines already cutting back flights to the nation, these concerns are not unfounded.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
