Despite its widely heralded claim to be a human rights defender, since the early 1960s the U.S, government has prohibited its citizens from traveling to Cuba as tourists. Many tens of thousands, however, did so illegally, risking fines and jail terms. Now, although Washington still does not allow its citizens to freely visit Cuba, tourist arrivals from the United States are up 36% in the past six months. In today's program, host Cristina Escobar interviews Michael Sykes, director of Cuban Cultural Travel. They discuss the past restrictions on travel and the recent changes in U.S.-Cuban relations and how they will affect tourism, the demographics and socio-economic characteristics of U.S. tourists visiting Cuba, what North Americans are looking for in their visits to the island and how their preconceptions are challenged, and the changes that will be necessary in the country's tourism and services industries to cope with new and increased demand. teleSUR
