Cuba experiences surge of US visitors as Obama loosens travel restrictions

[Judi Lynn]

The Irish Times - Thursday, June 23, 2011
Cuba experiences surge of US visitors as Obama loosens travel restrictions

HAVANA – The number of Americans visiting their country’s long-time enemy Cuba is steadily increasing under the Obama administration, according to Cuban government figures, with the highest number in years likely in 2011.

Some 63,000 US citizens visited Cuba in 2010, up from 52,500 the previous year and 41,900 in 2008, according to a report by the National Statistics Office.

US citizens are forbidden to travel to Cuba without their government’s permission under a wide-ranging trade embargo against the island imposed nearly five decades ago.

In the years following Cuba’s 1959 revolution, the highest-known number of US visitors peaked at 70,000 under US president Bill Clinton, then dropped to an average of 30,000 in the last term of US president George W Bush.

More:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2011/0623/1224299455623.html

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. I'm going in November

I was going to go last year but suffered some financial setbacks.

This time I have put down earnest money and will be joining my church's sixth delegation. (The ties with Cuba go way back, because one of the Episcopal bishops of Minnesota founded the Episcopal Church of Cuba.)

We'll leave the day after Thanksgiving and spend a week, mostly in Havana. One subgroup is going to work in an organic gardening program, but I don't know what my group is going to be doing yet.

[roody]

2. You can still break the embargo with Pastors for Peace!

See Cuba for Yourself and Challenge the US Blockade!

http://www.ifconews.org/node/948

[joshcryer]

3. What's the orientation like?

I think I'm on ignore so this is for anyone who knows.