Agents Earn Commission on Cuba Trips Offered by National Geographic Expeditions

National Geographic Expeditions announced this week a new, commissionable travel program in Cuba, with departures beginning in November.

Cuba: Discovering Its People and Culture will launch in November thanks to a special license issued to National Geographic by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Travel Agent confirmed Friday with a National Geographic Expeditions spokesperson that a 10-percent commission would be available to agents. And that commission could vary, depending on volume.

This innovative program focuses on intimate encounters with Cuba's people, from the urban neighborhoods of Havana to the tobacco farms of Viñales Valley. During specially designed activities, travelers will have the opportunity to meet and engage with Cubans in diverse settings and learn about this fast-changing nation through Cubans' eyes.

Drawing on its mission to create dynamic, thought-provoking travel experiences, National Geographic Expeditions has arranged for informative meetings with Cuban historians, teachers, musicians, naturalists and others. Among the highlights, travelers will learn about the restoration of Old Havana from local preservationists, visit the Bay of Pigs with Cuban veterans and talk with young artists who are reshaping the cultural landscape.

On each departure, a National Geographic expert will serve as an ambassador between travelers and the Cubans they meet and will provide insights along the way. Upcoming departures will include such esteemed experts as travel writer and photographer Christopher Baker, whose award-winning books include "Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling Through Castro's Cuba," and writer Tom Miller, an authority on Cuba and author of the acclaimed "Trading with the Enemy: A Yankee Travels Through Castro's Cuba."

Cuba: Discovering Its People and Culture is a 10-day program departing on November 26, December 10 and Dec. 24. In 2012, departure dates are January 7, Jan. 21, February 4, Feb. 18, March 10, March 24, April 7, April 21 and May 12.

Visit www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com