Canadians Divert Winter Travel From Cuba Amid Severe Shortages

As the winter holiday season approaches, Canadian travelers are increasingly seeking alternative sunny destinations as tourism in Cuba remains largely out of reach. An oil blockade imposed by the United States earlier this year triggered severe fuel shortages across the island, prompting Canadian airlines to indefinitely suspend flights and major hotel chains to withdraw from the region.

Travel agencies report that vacationers accustomed to affordable all-inclusive packages in Cuba are now forced to explore pricier options or reduce their travel frequency. Ashley Harold, a travel agent at Flight Centre Canada, noted that travelers are spreading their winter plans across a much wider mix of locations, including Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Aruba, Barbados, and Jamaica.

While Mexico remains a top destination for Canadians despite higher costs, the Dominican Republic has absorbed a significant portion of the traffic previously directed toward Cuba. John Wood, president of Durham Travel, stated that his agency's sales for trips to Cuba dropped dramatically from over $389,000 last year to just $24,000 so far in 2026, while sales for the Dominican Republic rose from about $1 million to nearly $1.3 million over the same period.

Data from Flight Centre Canada illustrates the financial contrast for consumers. A seven-day package at a four-star resort in Varadero, Cuba, cost under $1,400 per person around the previous holiday season, whereas comparable trips to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica cost approximately $1,800 this year. Travel agents advise clients to prepare for higher prices and to book alternative destinations well in advance to secure the best rates.

The lack of Canadian visitors compounds a severe humanitarian and economic crisis in Cuba, a nation of roughly 11 million people whose tourism industry was heavily reliant on Canadian travelers. Statistics Canada recorded only 127,000 Canadian visits to Cuba in the first quarter of the year, continuing a steep decline from over one million annual visitors before the pandemic down to approximately 700,000 in 2025.

The Canadian government maintains a travel advisory cautioning citizens against all non-essential travel to Cuba due to ongoing shortages of medicine, food, and fuel. Despite the disruptions, travel experts suggest that the shift presents an opportunity for tourists to explore new destinations, ranging from Caribbean cruises and Costa Rica tours to domestic winter travel within Canada.