Americans are out, Russians are in: Cuba’s tourism is severely disrupted by pandemic

Americans in Cuba are almost a relic of the past, and the flock of Canadian tourists that used to fill the island’s hotels every year is nowhere to be found since the COVID-19 pandemic halted almost all tourism to the Caribbean island, with one exception: Russian visitors. Between January and July, Russian tourism grew 42% compared to the same period last year, according to data released by the Cuban government’s national office of statistics. Around 90,000 Russians traveled to the island on flights landing directly in resort destinations like Varadero and the keys near Ciego de Ávila. But tha...