Best Western plans to make a move on the Cuba holiday market as "the hottest Caribbean holiday destination"

Thinking ahead and getting ready for when the U.S embargo on Cuba is finally lifted, Best Western is already eyeing the profitable travel market of Cuba holidays with the intention of investing in Cuba's tourism sector as soon as made possible.

Encouraged by the fact that Cuba holidays seem to be at their best momentum, enjoying a massive success with a whopping number of more than 2.4 million tourists who visited the island in 2009, up 3.3 % from 2008’s record, the American giant hotelier Best Western has set its eye on investing in the island's blooming holiday market once (and if) the American embargo is lifted.

Already speculating about the many possibilites free Cuba travel could pose for the American travel market, Best Western is keenly awaiting for change. Public opinion polls in the U.S. indicated that two-thirds of travellers, including 55 % of Cuban-Americans favour an end to all restrictions on travel to Cuba and visiting the island for leisure purposes and Cuba holidays.

The Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act, currently prohibits the U.S. president from regulating travel to and from Cuba and liberalise agricultural trade. The ending of such tight restrictions and measures could be brought to a vote in the House of Representatives as early as July 2010, and many travel companies across the pond are watching expectantly. If the bill were to pass the House, it will be attached to a Senate appropriations bill and, if approved, would go to President Obama, who already has said he would sign it into law. This would open travel to Cuba for all U.S. citizens from as soon as 2011, and the island already expects a massive invasion of Americans going on Cuba holidays as soon as this happens.

Speaking about the future of U.S relations with other countries a statement read “There’s a growing sense in the business community that if we’re going to trade with North Korea, Vietnam, Russia and some countries in the Middle East, why aren’t we trading with Cuba?” said Thomas J. Donahue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (back in 2001) “People are asking fundamental questions about a policy that’s clearly illogical”.

A report entitled, “Cuba at the Crossroads: The Role of the U.S. Hospitality Industry in Cuba Tourism Initiatives” published by Cornell University Research back in 2007 stated:

“The process of rapprochement can only start with the lifting of the U.S. embargo on Cuba. To that end, we encourage U.S. hospitality business interests of all types to urge the executive branch and Congress to eliminate the embargo, which has arguably outlived its original purpose…

"We see a historic opportunity for profitable investment in a “new Cuba”… we contend that now is the time to advance prescriptive, forward-thinking insight designed to shift the thinking of the U.S. business community about Cuba and, in so doing, shift the thinking of the Cuban government, businesses, and people about their neighbours to the worth.”