Celebrating 80 Years: Travel to Cuba in 1958

These days, traveling to a major island in the Caribbean can be more difficult than taking a journey across the equator or prime meridien, especially if that island is Cuba. Although there is change in the works when it comes to lifting the ban on travel to Cuba (which has been enacted since the '60s), we're not quite there yet. So as we anxiously anticipate that issue to, hopefully, open up (then again who knows if the 2010 midterm elections will hinder or help), we're reflecting back on a time when travel to the island was so easy.

As you can see in the advertisement to the right, which appeared in the September 10, 1958 issue of Travel Agent (click here to see the ad in full), you could cruise to the island or fly in from Florida, with help from offices in New York if you needed. As for the prices, we can dream they'll be the same if/when travel to Cuba opens up more, eh?

As we celebrate our 80th anniversary, we're taking a look at what was happening in the industry in the past and asking agents to share their thoughts on what has changed in the industry up until the present. So please share your thoughts by posting a comment below, writing us at our Facebook page, sending a tweet to our Twitter page or by engaging in a discussion in real time at AgentNation (the only social community online for all kinds of travel agents, which certainly wasn't around 80 years ago). We want to hear from you.

And while you're here, learn more about how we're celebrating eight decades of covering the travel industry for travel professionals.