• Submitted by: manso
• United States
• Politics and Government
• 09 / 02 / 2010

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It's only 90 miles from U.S. shores. Historic. Exotic. Affordable. Temperate year round. And for nearly 50 years Americans have been prohibited from traveling freely to Cuba—though maybe not much longer.

A recent Congressional vote is considered a harbinger of a new era in travel between the United States and its Communist neighbor. In fact, if Washington insiders are correct, Americans may soon be once again flying down to Havana for the night, the way Sky Masterson suggests in Guys and Dolls.

The politics of travel

On June 30, the House Agriculture Committee voted 25-20 to broaden relations with Cuba, including expanding agricultural trade and lifting the long-standing travel ban. H.R. 4645, the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act, received support from a broad coalition of agriculture, business, religious and social organizations.

Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), chairman of the committee, stated: "We have tried to isolate Cuba for more than fifty years, and it has not worked." The measure is said to have bipartisan backing in Congress, and President Obama has indicated support for further easing of sanctions as well.

American policy toward Cuba has long had an aura of permanency to it, even though the embargo was a Cold War measure invoked by the Kennedy Administration. Indeed, in 1986, I was issued a ten-year passport with an imprinted statement ("Certain transactions involving travel to Cuba are prohibited") as if there was no chance of reversing such a policy over the next decade.

By April 2009, a poll by CNN/Opinion Research Corp. of 1,023 Americans found 64% favored lifting the travel ban. And at the same time the Agriculture Committee was debating the merits of such an action, Amnesty International issued a paper entitled " Restrictions on Freedom of Expression in Cuba." Kerrie Howard, deputy Americas director, stated: "It is clear that the U.S. embargo has had a negative impact on the country but it is frankly a lame excuse for violating the rights of the Cuban people."

Even so, travel experts note there is still vocal opposition to normalizing relations with Cuba, particularly in the key tourism state of Florida.

A question of infrastructure?

Among the strongest supporters of eliminating the Cuban travel ban has been the American Society of Travel Agents. Colin Tooze, ASTA's vice president of government affairs, called the Agriculture Committee vote "a major step forward" and noted the benefits of Americans traveling to "Pyongyang, Tehran, Khartoum and other cities whose nations' leaders are publicly opposed to American interests."

ASTA also argues an influx of travelers will "spark demand" for new passenger routes, tour operations and travel agent services. So I asked Tooze if the island nation is ready for such a deluge. He says, "You have to remember there already are thousands of travelers a year to Cuba, including many Canadians. There are hotels, restaurants and rental cars."

He is not overly concerned about questions of infrastructure, particularly for cruise lines, noting that for now many ships can dock off shore and transfer passengers via smaller vessels. And there's little doubt quite a few U.S. airlines are eager to establish routes to Cuba, even if previous commercial service was provided in the era of Eastern, Pan Am and TWA.

As for U.S. travel agents, Tooze explains, "The appeal is tremendous—it's a new destination to sell. It's a shot in the arm for the travel industry and they're excited." And he says many American tourists are eager: "There's already a lot of pent-up demand."

Alternate routes

But let's state the obvious: The biggest open secret in the world of travel is that every year hundreds of thousands of Americans visit Cuba, and many are in violation of the ban. A quick online search will reveal dozens of travel agencies and

tour operators willing to book your passage via Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, Jamaica and quite a few other countries. But we won't provide links.

So what's up with that? It's generally understood that Cuban authorities will refrain from stamping American passports, making it easier to re-enter the United States. But travel experts say it's risky behavior, punishable by civil penalties and criminal prosecution.

First, it's important to understand exactly what the State Department prohibition states. For some time now, certain U.S. citizens have been exempt from the travel ban, and shortly after taking office President Obama expanded that list to include close relatives of Cuban nationals.

Among the others who can be granted general licenses to travel:

• Journalists and broadcasters

• Members of international organizations

• Full-time professionals conducting research or attending meetings or conferences

• Government travelers on official business

• Employees of U.S. telecommunications firms

• Employees of agricultural or medical firms

In addition, licenses are granted regularly for representatives of educational institutions, religious organizations and humanitarian projects, as well as for athletes, entertainers and artists.

Some Americans have interpreted the travel ban in a much narrower way, by asserting that U.S. citizens are prohibited only from spending money in Cuba (seemingly a hard proposition for anyone planning to spend more than a few hours on the island).

But it would be wise to consult the U.S. Treasury Department, which spells out the details of the Cuban sanctions.

In addition, the State Department is quite clear about such a loophole for those subject to U.S. jurisdiction and engaging in travel-related activities: "Transactions related to tourist travel are not licensable. This restriction includes tourist travel to Cuba from or through a third country such as Mexico or Canada. U.S. law enforcement authorities enforce these regulations at U.S. airports and pre-clearance facilities in third countries. Travelers who fail to comply with Department of the Treasury regulations could face civil penalties and criminal prosecution upon return to the United States."

For U.S.-based travel companies and bookers, currently there's no getting around that. ASTA's Tooze notes: "We don't condone breaking the law." But if the current momentum continues, it won't be long before Americans wishing to travel to Cuba can do so legally.

By Bill McGee, special for USA TODAY

Source: www.usatoday.com