President Obama will be out of office after a few months and when people will talk about the legacy he leaves behind, they’ll surely mention the thawing of relations with Cuba. The United States placed a trade embargo on the island several decades ago and effectively cut off all ties until recently. Businesses based in the United States are gradually being allowed to operate in Cuba and Airbnb is one such business. The company has confirmed that its Cuba listings are now open to the world.
Airbnb is a service that allows travelers to book stays in private homes across many countries on the planet. The company has received special authorization from the administration which has allowed it to open its Cuba listings to travelers coming from all over the world.
It was actually the first major American company to move into Cuba once a thaw in relations between the countries became visible on December 17th, 2014. It handles listings, online bookings, and payments for people looking to stay in private homes in Cuba. More than 4,000 homes have been added to Airbnb in just the past year.
Previously Airbnb was only allowed to accept bookings from U.S. travelers but the license has now been expanding and it allows the company to take bookings from travelers coming from every corner of the planet.
The new authorization for Airbnb was announced on the morning of a very historic trip by President Obama to Cuba, the first by a U.S. president in decades. Airbnb says that travelers from around the world can start booking stays in Cuba from April 2nd, 2016.