Enjoy Your Pint, It May Be Your Last!

Can you believe it? So relations with Cuba and the States have improved, but equally there has been such a surge in tourism they may run out of beer!

Because of the trade and travel sanctions been lifted the increase of visitors to Cuba has grown.  Cuba received 3.5 million visitors last year which was up 17% from 2014. Since then, American tourists have risen by 77% – a massive increase.

All of this of course is testing. It is fantastic to have such a growth of tourism but it does stretch the countries supply of hotel rooms, rental cars and beer! I guess businesses have made money out of all these tourists coming over but if the main infrastructure is not quite right then something has to give, unfortunately it seems to be beer!  According to recent reports state run bars are finding it hard to compete against private run ventures. The islands favourite beer – Cristal and Bucanero are literally so short of supply in bars, restaurants and even petrol stations because the American tourists are drinking them so much! The brewer Bucanero has admitted they need to build a new plant to keep up with the demand.

On top of this next month Carnival (under its new brand Fathom) will have their first maiden voyage to Cuba with approx. 700 people arriving to assist in economic, environmental and community development. However, if you are a Cuban born passenger who now lives in the States you will be refused entry back into Cuba. One such passenger paid $2470 to book a cabin. When her passport details were entered into the booking she was told she could not go.  There are very strange rules gaining entry into Cuba for example if a Cuban born American wants to visit they can do so by air but by sea is another matter.

Who would have thought there was so much legislation to visit, and let’s face it who would have thought that the country would be running out of beer!