Business Travel News - August 9, 2010

AS TA VIE WPOINT

BusinessTravelnews
Opening Cuba Would
Boost Travel Industry

BY JEAN COVELLI

PRESIDENT THE TRAVEL TEAM

The House Agriculture Committee recently voted to reverse a decades-long ban on U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba and to ease restrictions on the sale of American products there.

Seldom are we given an opportunity to support the development of a new center of travel and tourism. This vote is only a first step toward congressional approval of those changes, but we as tourism leaders and citizens interested in developing new economic frontiers must support the efforts of our elected officials. These pioneers have the foresight to recognize that passage would be a major boost for routes of tourism and commercial expansion.

The bill, the Travel Restriction Reform
travel destinations. There is an obvious
interest in tourism to Cuba and we, as
consumer advocates, should take a stand.

ROBER T G. SULLIVAN

Executive Vice President/Group Publisher
Tel: (201) 902-1956 Fax: (201) 902-1971
( rsullivan@ntmllc.com)

•

JOHN DEJESU, Director, Business Development
Tel: (646) 380-6245 Fax: (646) 380-6241
( jdejesu@btnonline.com)

EDIE GARFINKLE, Advertising Director
Tel: (805) 383-1326 Fax: (805) 832-6676
( egarfinkle@btnonline.com)

Canada
CYNDY FLEMING, Publicitas APR
Tel: (416) 363-1388 Fax: (416) 363-2889

Mexico/Latin America
VERONICA CAS TRO, Cass Media
Tel: 5255-5605-1757

Japan
HIROKO KUJIME, Pacific Business Inc.
Tel: 81-3-3661-6138 Fax: 81-3-3661-6139

Korea
JUNG WON SUH, Singesi Media
Tel: 82-2-3275-5969 Fax: 82-2-785-8225

“The Center for Democracy in the Americas, an organization that supports the normalization of relations with Cuba, acknowledged that American travel to Cuba would help the current government, but said the gains for ordinary Cuban citizens outweigh those considerations.”

Malaysia/Philippines/Thailand
ANNIE BLANCHARD
Tel: 632-646-2497 Fax: 632-647-1853

Singapore
LAVENDER TAN, A1 Media
Tel: 65-6469-9321 Fax: 65-6469-8028

Production
LISA GONZALES, Production Specialist
MICHELE GAR TH, Production Supervisor
100 Lighting Way, 2nd Floor
Secaucus, NJ 07094

and Export Enhancement Act, must still go through the Foreign Affairs and Financial Services committees before it can be considered by the full House. The Senate then will act. I urge everyone to research and investigate this bill and write your representatives with your views.

Those in support say that passage would be a major boost to the American hotel industry, offering new frontiers for development. The American farmer would be given the opportunity to sell commodities directly to Cuba. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Farmers Union have both voiced support.

Opponents of the bill argued that while export restrictions should be eased, lifting the travel ban would benefit only the Communist government under the leadership of Fidel and Raul Castro.

Most recently, the Agriculture committee rejected several amendments that would have eliminated the travel ban reversal or delayed its enactment. Those votes were split largely along partisan lines, with Democrats favoring more immediate implementation.

This is probably one of the most controversial topics ever presented to business travel leaders.

In 2009, more than 100,000 Americans visited Cuba, many gaining access through U.S. government approved programs. Others entered illegally. Cuba tourism literature states that the country is among the world’s fastest-growing