Cuba Travel Restrictions Lifted

Cuba’s big news today, now that Pres. Obama has lifted old restrictions on U.S. family members’ Cuba visits. See the Los Angeles Times and USA TODAY’s coverage, and a Miami Herald story about airline service. (A flight from Miami takes 45 minutes each way and costs about $500 round trip.)

The travel restrictions, coupled with the broader push in Congress to allow all American to visit, has many people asking: Can Cuba’s existing hotels handle a potential flood of visitors?

This AP story suggests that Cuba could easily be overwhelmed by a broad American influx.

Cuba has only about 42,000 hotel rooms – or about as many as Detroit, and many are already filled with Canadians and Europeans, the story says. (Operators include Spanish hotel and resort chain Sol Melia.) Add eager Americans to the mix, and you could see sold-out nights and soaring prices. Plenty of people to enjoy the wonderful Latin music and sultry nights…