Cuba Inbound Tourism Breaks Record

Cuba’s Tourism Ministry reported 4 million visitors in 2016, a 13% increase from 2015.

The biggest increase in visitors came from the United States, which should come as no surprise.

Cuba’s popularity has risen since December 2014, when President Obama first announced plans to restore diplomatic relationship between the United States and Cuba. That’s when it started becoming easier for Americans to visit the island nation that floats just 90 miles off Floridian shores, Travel + Leisure reported.

The Caribbean island became even more accessible last summer, when the first commercial flight from the US to Cuba in more than half a century landed in Santa Clara. An increase from cruises, including those originating in the US, also helped drive visitor growth.

There’s no sign of Cuba’s tourism boom slowing down, either. But don’t worry about Cuba being overrun anytime soon: The number of tourist arrivals is still relatively low compared to the local population.