CUBA CANDELA's private tours remain legal under Trump's new Cuba policy

MIAMI, June 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Trump administration eliminated the group "people-to-people" educational travel authorization to Cuba. The other eleven categories of authorized travel, including "support for the Cuban people," remain unaffected.

CUBA CANDELA's private custom tours for individuals (couples and families) are conducted under the "support for the Cuban people" travel authorization and will not be impacted by the elimination of group "people-to-people" travel. A typical trip with CUBA CANDELA directly supports more than thirty private sector Cuban entrepreneurs.

"Travel to Cuba with CUBA CANDELA remains safe, legal and extraordinarily enriching, as our clients participate in a full-time schedule of activities that enhance contact with the Cuban people and engage in meaningful interactions with the Cuban people, through wonderful immersive cultural experiences that comply with the new U.S. travel rules," said Chad Olin, CEO & Founder of CUBA CANDELA.

"We continue to operate business as usual, and we continue to guarantee compliance with U.S. law. We took this opportunity to further reassure our clients with a '100% Guaranteed Departure Policy' that includes a full refund in the event future U.S. travel restrictions prohibit legal travel with CUBA CANDELA," said Olin.

"We strongly disagree with these new travel restrictions, which will unfairly harm the Cuban people," added Olin. "We encourage the millions of American travelers who have visited Cuba over the past several years to write their representatives at this time. The vast majority of Americans who have actually visited Cuba understand that this isolation policy is misguided and ineffective. Furthermore, it is un-American to limit our citizens' travel decisions. And, with the elimination of Cuba cruise travel, as many as 8,000 Americans could lose their jobs, according to data from the Economic Policy Institute."

Olin, 33, is a Harvard Business School graduate, who lived in Cuba while enrolled in the MBA program in 2015. Inspired by his time on the island, he launched the experiential travel business CUBA CANDELA in partnership with Cuba's emerging private sector.

CUBA CANDELA (www.cubacandela.com) is a leading provider of private luxury tours in Cuba. The company specializes in highly curated custom journeys, delivering a full suite of services including travel documents, luxury accommodation, and exclusive experiences. CUBA CANDELA's mission is to deliver impactful and authentic luxury experiences with world-class service, through a socially conscious model that is respectful and sustainable to local communities.

SOURCE CUBA CANDELA