Cuba Libre
... just returned from a quick one week reconnaissance trip to Cuba - trying to establish whether or not the time was right to put some extra focus on offering exclusive experiences in this most authentic destination. 5 years have passed since our last visit and it has been apparent that there has been more change in the last 5 yrs than there has been in the 50 previous years.
So the time has certainly arrived where Cuba should be on everybody's agenda who is interested in experiencing the Cuba of the past. Times are changing - albeit very slowly - and we simply do not know what the future holds.
With the last reform in 2010 some approximate 40 job descriptions are open for everybody to get involved in. Main change here in terms of tourism is the fact that private restaurants have since been legalized and food has become easily available and accessible to everybody. Even a small bar and club scene is developing! Of course all mayor tourism (transport, hotels, boat & train excursions) is still in the hands of the government, who is trying to control the inflow of foreign capital, where you will always find a general mayor in charge of each operation (i.e. hotel manager etc.). BUT even the military style management of the hotels is slowly changing with it being discussed whether it would not make sense to have some educated and foreign department heads running and educating his/her staff.
Some images of the trip to be found here