The itineraries to Cuba of the three major cruise companies of the country will represent more than 420 million dollars in revenues between 2017 and 2019, according to a projection of the US-Cuba Trade and Economic Council disclosed.
The 211 trips of Norwegian, Carnival and Royal Caribbean that include Cuba will also mean for the island profits of 50 million dollars in expenses of tourists in excursions, restaurants and habanos, among others, according to the analysis.
Likewise, the Government of Cuba will receive another 13 million dollars in port taxes, which are about 79,000 dollars for the largest ships (from 684 to 2,052 passengers), said John Kavulich, president of the Council.
These figures from the three large companies, all based in Miami, Florida, do not include new itineraries to Cuba that are already planned, nor the trips of smaller cruise companies.
According to Kavulich, if each boat sails to capacity, more than 357,000 passengers will visit Cuba between 2017 and 2019 leaving revenues exceeding US $ 422 million.
In 2016, when these US travels were reestablished. To Cuba, the profits of these three companies totaled 28,800 million dollars by means of their trips in 144 boats to their different destinations.
In May of that year the first cruise to Cuba in more than 50 years, the Adonia, of the company Carnival, as part of the melting between both countries began in the last two years of the mandate of President Barack Obama (2009-2017).
Similarly, on August 31 last year, the first US commercial flight departed. To Cuba since 1961 as part of the diplomatic reestablishment between the two nations, which occurred in 2015.
According to projections of the US-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, scheduled flights between 2017 and 2019 departing from Florida will represent profits for US airlines for 110 million dollars, and for South Florida hotels and restaurants for 45 million of dollars.
However, despite Obama’s opening, the US economic embargo still persists in Cuba, which can only be raised by the US Congress, and President Donald Trump’s new policy toward Cuba is still diffused.
