Airbnb is an easy to use service if you’re looking for a place to stay anywhere in the world. It’s easy to list an empty room in your house, or even the entire house, when someone can then book from anywhere in the world if they’re headed to your city and need accommodation. Airbnb is now starting to list available residences in Cuba but only travelers from the United States will be able to book them for now.
This expansion comes a few months after the U.S. lifted trade restrictions that had been imposed on Cuba since decades. It was the start of a new era of U.S.-Cuba relations.
Airbnb’s move into the island country is the “most significant” expansion of a U.S. business in Cuba, according to a report by the AP, given the fact that for almost half a century such businesses were barred from entering the Cuban market as a result of the U.S. trade embargo.
There are now more than 1,000 listings available in Cuba with 40 percent coming from Havana and the rest from tourist hotspots like Cienfuegos which is merely a few hours drive from the capital.
However continuing restrictions under the U.S. embargo mean that Airbnb’s Cuban listings are only available to U.S. travelers who visit the country under one of the 12 Washington approved categories that allow legal travel to Cuba.
Kay Kuehne, regional director for Airbnb, said “We believe that Cuba could become one of Airbnb’s biggest markets in Latin America.” Airbnb expects that listings from the island country will steadily expand in the coming months. Rooms in Havana can now be booked through the service for as little as $25 per night.
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