Cuba is Expensive

Not kidding and prices keep on rising...

I read an article today about how the tourism industry came about in Cuba. It was during 1989 when the downfall of the Soviet Union and the start of the "Periodo Especial" in Cuba. As you may or may not know, the Soviet Union was the support system of Cuba's communism, and without their economic support, Cuba was left hanging by a threat. So, Fidel Castro started developing hotels at Jardines del Rey (a small key on the north coast of Cuba) to attract tourism to the island with all-inclusive resorts. There was a small problem; there was no way to get there unless a road was built from the main island. As I was reading the article which you can read here, I remember that there was a "Telenovela" airing around the same time that theme was the construction of that road and the people who work at "The Terraplen." It had all of us glued to the TV every Tuesday night.

With the development of the tourism sector, came higher prices for everything. Nowadays, Cuba lives and breath because of the high demand to visit the beloved island. I was in Cuba in January, and I was surprised how much a loaf of bread cost compared to when I lived there. The bus ride used to cost 10 cents; now it's 50 cents. That's one kind of a bus; there is another one called "Rutero" that costs 1 peso and private taxis depending on how far you go, can be from $10-$25 pesos. For a tourist, that sounds like a little cost but for people in Cuba that only make less than 20 dollars a month, can become very expensive.

I was talking to a taxi driver the other day via WhatsApp about prices, and he sent me the government sheet of prices for private cars. I was outraged by how much it cost per distance. Then, I thought about the people that contact me all the time about going to visit my homeland, and the first thing they complain about is the price. Well, I got news for you, it's not getting any cheaper. I try to negotiate the prices with entrepreneurs in Cuba when I book the tours so we can all have a great experience at a reasonable price.  

More reason prices will continue to increase is the recent tornado that devastated several neighborhoods in Havana. You can donate to help the people via Paypal using my email address: [email protected] I will be there this week and will try to help some people. Your support is very much appreciated!

Vacation Nights
It's that time again and it's my job to discover your next dream destination and the best travel companies that'll take you there. That being said, Carnival has a lot in store, and I think you'll love every bit of it. Instead of me telling you everything, I thought you should hear it directly from them!

Join Kirsten from Carnival and me for Vacation Nights. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about their brand and why you should celebrate Mardi Gras with Carnival! Best part? It's all live so you can watch this from the comfort of your own home.
Tune in on March 13 at 7:45 pm ET and watch until the end as Kirsten will announce exclusive deals that won't be available anywhere else! Click here to RSVP

What's Next?
Click the button below to sign up for this free event. On the night of Vacation Nights, watch it on Livestream.com. I'll be available all night to answer any other questions and start booking your next vacation!

More Partnerships
This is what I love about getting affiliated with Travel Planners International (TPI); they provided access to suppliers that I wanted to work with but didn't know how. Now we can book flights for you, cruises and tours around the world. Our new partner is Avanti Destinations, and you can only book through an agent, but of course, you can check out all their beautiful destinations on their consumer website. Very soon, we'll have a page dedicated for World Travel here on our site. Stay tuned!

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Feel the beat of the City
In March, La Habana becomes the Global Music Capital. The three Melia Hotels are in the center of the metropolitan area in the island invite you to live the emotions of the Festival Havana World Music from March 21-23, 2019 
Make your reservation TODAY and get a Free ticket to the concerts, upgrade your room and other perks!

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