Support for the Cuban People Itinerary Requirements

Travel to Cuba even after the new regulations!

You will travel under our "Support for the Cuban people" regulation. A traveler is required to provide support for the Cuban people and promote independent activity intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba.The idea of the Support for the Cuban People travel category is to support Cuban entrepreneurs and private citizens. when you plan a trip to Cuba is that you must participate in activities that support the Cuban people for at least 7 hours/day on weekdays. This is considered a full-time schedule.

We will provide an "official itinerary" that includes meetings with local Cubans, attending cultural events, and staying at a Cuban family's home, a "casa particular" instead of a hotel.

Here are some sample itineraries that satisfy the new government regulations for travel to Cuba:
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  • Visit local farms. One favorite farm is the Finca Agroecologica El Paraiso in Viñales. Visitors get a tour of the property and a luxurious lunch spread with roast pork, bread, and fruits and veggies grown on the farm. There are also tobacco farms in Viñales where you can learn how cigars are made. 
  • Visit churches and learn about the charity work they do. Churches in Cuba provide all kinds of support to the community and you might be able to contribute to their good works on your trip. It can be a fun way to give back and get to know locals.  
  • Meeting with local businessmen, artists, tobacco manufacturers and people who own their own business
  • Explore independent museums (there are some very interesting ones in Havana)
  • Independent markets
  • Dance classes (popular and folkloric dances)
  • Meeting and engaging with musicians at a show
  • Art shows
  • Discuss Cuban society with locals
  • Shop for souvenirs in privately-owned shops. Giving your dollars directly to private entrepreneurs is a great way to support the Cuban people. Art lovers will find it particularly easy to do this as there are so many galleries in Cuba. Spend some time chatting with the owners and artists to learn about their lives, too.

​In order to obey the new regulations, we will provide evidence of staying at privately owned lodging, eating at privately owned restaurants, shopping in privately owned stores, visiting art galleries and interacting with locals on a meaningful level. 
Travel to Cuba is now very difficult since only a few agencies are authorized under the new regulations passed in June 5, 2019. But we are one of those agencies since we work directly with Cuban nationals. We are authorized and licensed by the Cuban Minister of Tourism to arrange legal travel to Cuba for American Travelers. We can get you into Cuba and let you decide what you want to do there.

As an American, you need to pick one of 11 categories of authorized travel to Cuba. Before new restrictions announced by the Trump Administration went into effect in June 2019, many travelers were also able to choose a twelfth category, called "People to People". However, due to the June 2019 Cuba travel restrictions, this is no longer possible.

The broadest category you may currently use to travel independently to Cuba is the Support for the Cuban People category. You will need to abide by the regulations and participate in activities that are in the spirit of the category. Although planning a trip that complies with these regulations may seem confusing, Budget Travel can easily help you organize a legal trip to Cuba under this category. 

Enjoy Cuba before the door opens wide and it’s ruined by McDonalds and Starbucks. We’ve literally been all over the world, and we can say that there is no place like Cuba. I don’t know how any place could be stuck in a 1950’s time capsule while the rest of the world progressed with modern cars and 4G internet.
 
At Budget Travel, we literally go to the places we send our clients, unlike other agencies that offer “expert” advice from a noob behind a desk. We do this so that we speak from experience and are able to offer cheaper prices. The first time visitor usually pays the “gringo” (foreigner) prices that are much higher than what the common people pay for food and transportation. We tell you what shortcuts to take, what restaurants to avoid, and basically everything you need to know to create your best experience there.

Travel to Cuba with Support the Cuban People Requirement!

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From our Budget Traveler Brandon Moore