(코리아타운뉴스) “What Do We Do About Traveling to Cuba…?”

President Donald Trump takes a U-turn on U.S.-Cuba relations
U.S.-based Korean travel agencies struggle to keep Cuba packages

Korean-American travel agencies are scrambling for solutions as the diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba have again been tarnished since the election of President Donald Trump.

President Trump announced Friday that his administration will cancel the diplomatic agreements made between the two countries during former President Barack Obama’s term. He added that the U.S. government will begin levying restrictions on Americans who travel to Cuba. As of now, flights and cruise trips to Cuba are still available in the U.S., but it will become increasingly difficult for Americans to plan trips to the neighboring country.

Korean-American travel agencies are concerned as President Trump’s policy could ultimately affect their Cuba travel packages. A Korean travel agency on average is sending 100 tourists to Cuba every month, while an addition 70 to 80 head to Cuba on cruise trips.

“Many Korean-Americans have been able to free themselves from the thought that traveling to Cuba is dangerous,” said a source within the travel industry. “That really paved the way for business like ours to make efforts to diversify our travel packages in Cuba, but it seems like that will be stalled now. There may not be more immediate changes, but we’re likely to lose our platforms.”

In other words, the travel agencies in Koreatown explained that the U.S. government’s changed stance against Cuba will only continue to shrink the short-lived tours to the country.


By Brian Choi