US Visitor Arrivals To Cuba In 2017 Increase

The Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Cuba reported that 1,173,428 individuals subject to United States jurisdiction visited the Republic of Cuba in 2017.

453,905 individuals of Cuban descent visited in 2017, representing an increase of 137.8% compared to 2016.

619,523 individuals not of Cuban descent visited in 2017, an increase of 217.4% compared to 2016.

Important to acknowledge that some individuals subject to United States jurisdiction visited the Republic of Cuba on more than one occasion, which is especially true for those of Cuban descent who have family and friends in the Republic of Cuba.  

The increase in visitors was also meaningfully impacted by the increased frequency and decreased prices of regularly-scheduled commercial airline services which commenced in the fourth quarter of 2016 and increase in cruise ship frequencies.