Cuba Travel booth at the travel industry Trade Show

[roody]

This is an information-packed email I received from the Travel Industry Network on Cuba

The Trade Show, the premier annual event of the US travel and tourism industry,
will take place
at the Las Vegas Convention Center September 13 to 15.
We have a booth again in the Caribbean section and on Sunday will hold
our second annual Cuba destination seminar. Last year we had to turn people away
from this
well received session.
At any time President Obama can open
the door to the full range of non-tourist travel. We need to help that happen and
be ready for the opportunity.
Governor Bill Richardson's current visit to Cuba could provide the trigger.
Hope to see you at the Trade Show.
John McAuliff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Destination Seminar
"Cuba
Breakthrough:
Opportunities for the US Travel Industry"
Sunday, September 13
noon - 1:30 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center
Bob Whitley, President, US Tour Operators Association (moderator)
Christopher Baker, author of six books on Cuba including the award-winning and
most widely used Moon guidebook (15
minute slide talk) www.cubatravelexpert.com
Lisa Simon, President, National Tour Association
Andrea Holbrook, President, Holbrook Travel, an OFAC
registered Travel Service Provider (TSP) with several years experience in organizing
educational and natural
science trips
John McAuliff, Coordinator, Travel Industry Network on Cuba, update on action by
the Obama Administration and pending legislation in Congress
There will be substantial time for questions and discussion,
including of plans for a familiarization tour and an in-country business orientation
as soon as legally possible.
Please be prompt
or even a bit early to assure admission.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trade Show Cuba Booth, #1237


* On-line sign upfor the Open Cuba petition created by
Orbitz with support from USTOA, NTA and key travel, business and advocacy
organizations. (Bring friends and colleagues to add their names. Help us top 100,000.)
* Special materials from and about tourism in Cuba.*
* An opportunity to ask questions specific to your business.
* Registration for a familiarization tour and orientation session in Cuba.

*If you want to speak and/or have a brochure available at the
destination seminar and in the booth, please contact us to make arrangements as
soon as
possible: [email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Washington Update

The White House may again be on the verge of licensing
non-tourist travel for educational, cultural, religious, humanitarian and other
people- to-people purposes.* It almost happened in April when Cuban American travel
was announced, until Sen. Bob Menendez vociferously objected. The visits by Catholic
Bishops and Governor Richardson to Cuba certainly provide a favorable context for
this too long delayed essential step.

You can help
President Obama resist political pressure and do what he wants to do. Send your
own message today to the
White House Office of Public Engagement by clicking here
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH0DFeubRoOfRibJuMUKflcMjzlHArXPqLA2hOvz_3vOYSq81AzGjGNdQ-JVXQrcJtgvjXGPmINbWotPxgv5P74LtZXWlBukYtZ_PkK-pmlZNbZa3sHamJuRrmdUwwGQU_I=>.

Passing legislation is indispensable for
normal commercial tourism.Co-sponsorships have reached unprecedented levels for
the House and
Senate Freedom to Travel bills (over 160 for HR 874, 21 for S 428). Hearings and
floor votes are anticipated this fall or winter. Try to speak with your Representative
and Senators during the summer
recess at a personal appointment or a town meeting. (See who is already cosponsoring
here
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH2nqOeucjLtV7VB1H1czedpR1aEsToSmYfgzZIrNICN1UK_VIR-8M1jPIoLZeGoKJYf6l0hhhg5ldiat5EGnMP1PteCfcUxqo4=>
and who has received money
from the Florida's anti-travel Cuban-American PAC here
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH3HO1bpasS-KpcGF08qEDd4RK0QS9RlxxD1cgFgs114KD2R2hrSxuBfpJHm9mhZflZMwGClp52mJW0xPRPsp0UT_5A9J_JcUTmMLs4bQ-_YYfX3cGLDvXgAhKsMAekxwI-zgD1ah6FJ2XPC4zyF8hhThoiyeHYxgd8LXmgsWlCfgSOcahg-DJbIN2EfGzAvVPk=>.
)

*When non-tourist travel opens,tour operators and
agents will be able to partner with not-for-profit organizations to send groups.
High school and college students, alumni, elderhostel,
museums, World Affairs Councils, photographers, architects, dance aficionados,
birders, religious groups, etc. traveled to Cuba until 2004, peaking at 84,500 visitors
in 2003.
They could be joined in the future by Chambers of Commerce, professional associations,
community organizations, 4-H clubs, and countless more institutions and associations.
While the total may not exceed 100,000 in the first year, among them
will be a disproportionate number of opinion leaders, trend setters and
other serious travelers. Presidential leadership nowmatters tremendously and sets
the example for Congress!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today's Cuba Travel Options
Cuba map
<http://ui.constantcontact.com/rnavmap/evaluate.rnav/pidTv7mjfoQ1uIJBAoR7R3OLq613?activepage=ecampaign.view&pageName=ecampaign.view&agent.uid=1102675655940&action=newedit&popin=true#>
It is not so hard to get to Cuba

Tourist visas are obtained at
airport check-in or from third country travel agents. Cuba does not stamp US
passports.
Although such travel is usually in violation of OFAC regulations, some 40,000
Americans yearly are said to make clandestine visits to Cuba. Lawyers report that
for the last two years OFAC has ceased pursuing individual violators and that no
cases requesting a hearing have been resolved.

Some 130 activists from the organization Pastors for Peace engaged in civil
disobedience
this summer for the twentieth year by publicly traveling to Cuba with medical and
educational supplies but no licenses.An additional 140 Americans undertook a similar
challenge as part of the 40th anniversary Venceremos Brigade.

Convenient routes (check them out when non-tourist travel authorized):

* via Grand Cayman, daily
flights (purchase on Cayman Airways web page or from a local travel agent, e.g.
Maliuska
Rodriguez, Aladdin Tours, Tel: [phone], [email protected] )

* via Air Jamaica,
daily flights (purchase from travel agent, e.g. Anika Hemmings, Cosmopolitan
Travel & Tours Limited, Tel: [phone] or cell 876 376 2051 [email protected]
)

* via Cancun; two Mexicana, one Cubana flights a
day (purchase at counter or from Mexican travel agent)

* via Canada,
several departure cities, daily flights (purchase from Canadian travel agent, possibly
from Air Canada
web page)

* via Nassau, daily Cubana flights (purchase at counter or from Bahamas travel agent)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Resources and Links

* Articles
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH1V3RH0HXXxHNPGUqkfo3eX0OB2tLv4z2i1-5p-3h1EG170i52LePIxlMJCTNwqF5aHtHhZqYOmhOfmgvMEjqpa63u99neJbgUv7e77PDG6Iw==>
about tourism in Cuba

* A good story about tourism on National Public Radio
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH2c3aSH5-cEk0DIop4g4IuZo9y4ckbendZ5Ul8B_bO5ukXDWhTMiLoZNDaPOkJmOqntujBPgQBEdZ49R30z68HOAfnOVqr-PA5ajDfmzaHSyo_xHPUXR628QMMXOtGlFEYtMiIPSI4pixWLsqr0wj_xzJCigZZnyDmUQhC2d0E_NQ==>.

* Two travel broadcasts (here
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH3BJ-AUZ1kq3WHpIdGErgKRI_TIgHqUo4PGEfq5znJUoGcOVH_712GGMhnwaJzIVTUe-YxEY7ZbEfTNoijxrS3eMKv-wfekbU-zxmyT2MvEbnCRm-4pnSB7oN2RNv46dKM7O62ig5a3wiDa1_u2K12s7iKZgDQRjBxRRuzkRzxuiABxTyKdspcDw5slt51yRcJOXG3vZxJLZg==>
and here
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH0SRk_-K8YtkHF8SX_zEaB-BZqnKyiBXJiaHETT7ijGSfJv6TynG4AgjrugjNBFZr0tjyBVW9JBo1Qm9TX_9GfzUoQc-dphq_XMD1X59ozjGOVtBBqJUxJIzyIY4XeyBEQvtmLyT6iU5ZqMuHOk2Ix7qDqW8C_u1N8lXavVHkUQ22ICK72qGVbKENCFARY4l3OEF9slJZeMKuf_VPfdxqq5>)
on NY1 cable

* Recent visit
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH2vlfW24xDG-pTZiLkwMn7yEGQGojg1FCAKooU-S7gJRuLc1VSyAOP0-bZDfvtYiV9x4fcT0Wmzx3nB6oywH3VxZ4YhnLWB9X060jzg9rpRRfdxufbpEpmXwcgWriIFjf21gRUEUVIbgbkimZFoXNRzvAya8wPwXEV0Em3qi6z1zAjwLXJPJipnEVKl6XiK4Q0=>
by US Catholic Bishops who endorse travel freedom

* Articles
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH39IUgbmY16t0lMD50UCueWVEdCuLJ6D5EJ59kOQ4Jad1JFciukJVGGk1EToL9RYv71wCEafZTpuWRZL37DgXQGKWxcgnfd4xgxi4BU34d6l94pb1QIzk-i>
about Obama Administration, including Richardson trip

* Articles
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH2SZzONLBUvlhfvxDTGxHQQjmwOsVzLLysVcSqiDnAv0VxUEEP9GOjIkxPOE2QxH5H2GjkM_qsxx4KTkVjHgxpSy49_JS-KGq2NS4nUoNiachSKQa84JOT_V7hNmUQURN0=>
about normalization progress, including Arkansas governor's trip and civil disobedience

* High level educational institutions led by NAFSA write
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH0Tn55tdyPedurW6Mg2HH0kRawOD8m9jCECpkgBBSxPbP-eoteIdD-pFQUDXVsDwKGA6UDOn8HuOKNd_bMFDgibH5Zy-3UqaHt3FqeYFVHvUO1pDFrBFZxXijrivcoiSx2qHKnfD1CQj6lnHy-lCwm2>
to the President

* Political updates
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH2pMyuorXNeV61OFSr0bRSknqQ9I7Ti5-sC-MYZ4ZDYVTmG5dqm8WcCZyM9M-rLHmv1FM1PVXI3v7gJImkbNQGCxCx0a0h6Uz0wKQ7flO84ww==>
from Washington via thehavananote blog

* Political updates from independent havanatimes blog
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH215ytsLSLubm5UmXhme-cPR56Bii_QTTieGe0quLQA-tmoYZ0Nt1VhhMTB54B2O5TnKTHKmSY2VWpdX8ISUwGiQl7c7YVZTI60X767K-b4nA==>
in Havana

* Official tourism web sites in Cuba
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH1wL2CwnjiKMb0b9yj448LNPYKokt_oaM7Pg-r8MBm6LMJ6JXX5LDHsGACHEnlRlK6pNgLC7DOfqNwER2RVGhAVNkLb6zYGQQM9OzGBrQXLLA==>
and Canada
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH3BEKxVNU9mwcw2EAjTuYkl2gqngu2Q1vBuSP31_sccVgQo5lIimaE_FEh8mMBp-6lYc0R6SfslTkGnASsMYfGZ31LiYT7kFKs=>
* Sol Melia Hotels in Cuba web page
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH2PUuypWcgXzJR4vuRR9pDHuKcW-BJ48MUXRsgpM-KK7qjxXr-fCBghJHCJc2cf0nLKkxTr-a-aNSKS6DiwSaiAlYFgVYvjhZwYOGDgPCs3Jw==>
and video
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH3DiOXMc0meERIsIvAfPW1WbfCxMlCt4dFscjK4JXAZA1tji5KqRgrJqsVzSQ4MozD-xPASpZJsGGdDD3DwA_rIDRipsW6rG4U3HeUs7swg5AEcfvyC0WP17lJQlCrxW9smMjnWGDHfh5xiWQHDwxaYDCzOb3p0IoObhyUwqS9toQ==>
Save these dates: May 3-8, 2010
International Tourism Fair
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102681313799&s=6610&e=001UXFCaBLHQH3OOS1Z5TosGPHv1AvL7LxOs5hYKhYbGX15PPuj3GYQnAMix8Mx7TRoBPkduJwHuFEy7fuK7gMUigfcJYj6Pi10W5Kgm8QR-jYBrRPUM0w_eB2fZyVHujIKV4xxQRBNeHA2s84fzpetT2JGSGSnhGOCLpGkpsaaavI=>
in Havana
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John McAuliff
Coordinator, Travel Industry Network on Cuba
Executive Director, Fund for Reconciliation and Development

[flamingdem]

1. Let's hope we see some movement on this soon

and at least get things back to where they were even under Bush!

While he ended it in 2003 after the Brothers to the Rescue incident there were more rights for US Citizens to go to Cuba even under Bush!

That was the people to people and educational travel - and also giving
Visas to musicians and academics from Cuba to come to the USA.

PRETTY MINIMAL I'D SAY !!

[roody]

2. In the meantime, go see Cuba while it is still unspoiled.

[roody]

3. k