Gay Tourism to Cuba Is Improving Queer Life in the Imperfect Paradise Daniel Villarreal - Unicorn Booty
go to original March 23, 2017

Ever since the Obama Administration defrosted America’s relationship with Cuba in 2015, LGBTQ tourists have begun flocking to the sunny island nation to experience its sandy beaches, tropical valleys and old city districts filled with Spanish-French colonial architecture.

America’s longstanding trade embargo crystallized Cuba in a vintage era, giving it an irresistible old-world appeal. The island feels undiscovered, ripe for adventure and exploration. Untouched by modernity, it has a slower pace-of-life, while its Caribbean influence has filled it with music, food and ambience unlike any other Latin American country.

“We’re getting a lot more Americans, especially in the last six months,” says Dayron Ortiz, a gay Cuban tour guide who has worked with Remember Cuba, a group that offers LGBT tours of Cuba. “Hotels are being built mostly around Old Havana, which is the most touristic area. Cubans are opening many restaurants to have sufficient demand for all of them in the near future.”

Cuba is especially worth visiting now as it has not yet taken on all the trappings of a popular travel destination. LGBTQ tourists in particular have plenty to offer the island as it continues forging its path into queer global culture.

“Having LGBTQ travelers in Cuba,” Ortiz says, “has a positive impact, because we need to learn from other cultures, hear new ideas and improve what we’ve done so far.”

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