Obama’s unprecedented reforms towards Cuba, are already showing results. And not just for the entertainment industry.
This dramatic and emotional outburst is growing like a bamboo tree, and the influence of social media has lead people eagerness to know what’s on in the mystical island. Celebrities are no longer concerned in keeping a low profile while traveling to Cuba, the opposite, they are on the front page of any newspaper, some of the bolder ones have made history by extending their trip to cultural events, such as the concert of the Rollin Stone, the fashion show by the legendary Karl Lagerfeld who took his Resort 2017 Chanel show to Havana Cuba.
Hollywood’s filmmakers, supported by the country’s independent production industry shot House of Lies and Fast & Furious in the most impressive historical city, the Old Havana.
So, how did they pull it off?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) removed Cuba from its exclusion list enabling U.S.-based telecom operators to provide telephone and Internet services to Cuba without the need of a separate approval from the FCC. And based on that IDT Corp. has formed a J-V with the Cuba’s telecommunications company ETECSA; Verizon Communications Inc. is offer roaming wireless services to its American customers while in Cuba.
According the OFAC, transactions that are directly incident to professional media or artistic productions of information or informational materials for exportation, importation, or transmission, including the filming or production of media programs (such as movies and television program). The Cuban record enterprise EGREM and Sony Music Entertainment signed a licensing agreement for the international distribution of EGREM’s catalog of Cuban music.
Carnival cruise line – Fathom – cultural immersion and people-to-people connections.
All this does not represent a legislative change, as the embargo remains in place, however recent changes have been the cornerstone to overcome the complex red tape procedure in order to get the green light from the US treasure department in any project related to Cuba.
People are changing their skeptical approach, they are coping with the governments bureaucracy by being more persistent and patient, and focusing on results. A couple of examples: Cleber LLC the first US enterprise to operate in the Cuba Mariel Development Zone, Starwood Hotels signed three new hotel deals in Cuba, it’s the first U.S. company in the hospitality sector to launch in the Cuban market.
OFAC has issued a general license authorizing carrier services between the United States and Cuba, directly or indirectly, by vessel, in addition to the existing authorization for provision of such services by aircraft. Its doesn’t include general aviation.
JetBlue the leading airline to the Caribbean already offers nonstop charter services to and from New York, Fort Lauderdale and Havana.
American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines among others have submitted their applications to the US transportation department, hopping to get the required license to fly to Cuba.
Do you need a license, in which category does your business or interest fall?
Different interpretations arrive via different paths, so make sure you are well in formed, by reading the Cuba-US, FAQs
FITCuba, a professional event in the Cuban travel and tourism industry. The ideal place for tourism specialists, executives and enterprises with offices in Cuba to keep in touch. And also an opportunity to become familiar with Cuban destinations and products and learn about the culture and tourism of the Guest Country.
60th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Americas and International Seminar on Tourism and Culture will be held at Hotel Habana Libre, in Havana, Cuba, from 3 to 5 May 2016.
Carnival Corporation’s Fathom Granted Approval by Cuba to Cruise from U.S. to Cuba.
The world’s largest leisure travel company, today announced that Cuba has granted approval for the company to begin travel to Cuba starting on May 1, 2016. Following U.S. authorization granted in July 2015, Carnival Corporation is now cleared to operate the 704-passenger MV Adonia to Cuba through its newest brand Fathom.
This marks the first time in over 50 years a cruise ship is approved to sail from the United States to Cuba.
The approval paves way for Carnival Corporation through its Fathom brand to operate historic full-week sailings from the U.S. to Cuba starting in May 2016.
Iberia has named its third new A330-200 for the Cuban capital city, Havana. The naming of “La Habana”, registered as EC-MJT, marks the 70th anniversary of the Spanish airline’s first flight to Latin America in 1946, when it became the first European airline to fly to the region after World War II.
In 1946 Havana became one of Iberia’s earliest Latin American destinations. After a two-year interruption, in June of 2015 Iberia resumed its services to Cuba, and in less than a year increased seat supply by 30%, raising the number of flights per week from five to seven. As of 1 June it will operate daily return flights between Madrid and the Cuban capital.
The president of the United States, Barack Obama, will arrive in Havana this afternoon to pay an official visit.
The agenda for the visit to be paid by US President Barack Obama on March 20-22 will include official talks, a tour of Old Havana and an address to the civil society.
On Monday, he will hold official talks with his counterpart Raul Castro, and they will give a joint press conference.
Also on March 21, President Obama will pay tribute to Cuban National Hero Jose Marti, a figure that embodies the Cuban people’s feelings, he announced.
On March 22, on the last day of his visit, President Obama will meet with the Cuban people and the civil society at the Alicia Alonso Grand Teater of Havanam where he will give a speech that will be broadcast live nationwide.PL reports
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc signed three new hotel deals in Cuba, marking the first U.S. based hospitality company to enter the market in nearly 60 years. This announcement follows receipt of authorization from the U.S. Treasury Department for Starwood to operate hotels in Cuba. Long-time Havana icon, Hotel Inglaterra, will join The Luxury Collection and Hotel Quinta Avenida will become a Four Points by Sheraton. Both hotels will undergo renovations before raising their new brand flags later in 2016. The Company also announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent to convert the famed Hotel Santa Isabel into a member of The Luxury Collection.