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| Havana, Cuba // Photo by Joe Pike |
From an exciting culinary tour to possible upgrades to Havana's Jose Marti International Airport, Travel Agent breaks down the latest news for clients looking to head to the once forbidden destination of Cuba.
Access Trips Adds New Dates for Sold Out Cuba Culinary Tour
Access Trips, a boutique tour operator that specializes in culinary travel to Cuba, recently announced additional 2016 dates for their sold-out “Cuba Culinary Tour.”
New tour dates are available for the standard eight-day Cuba Culinary Tour, six-day Highlights of Havana Tour and private trips. Dates now available for booking include September 18-25; October 2-9; Oct. 17-22; November 13-20; December 11-18; December 20-27 (private trip); and December 28 to January 4 (private trip).
During the culinary journey, foodies enjoy insider access to the Cuban culinary scene with exclusive cooking classes and meals at Cuba’s finest paladares (private restaurants), visits to organic farms and local markets, and even a daiquiri making course with a mixologist from El Floridita, the birthplace of the daiquiri and Hemingway’s favorite haunt.
Outside the kitchen, travelers ride retro in ’57 Chevys exploring sites from vibrant Havana to the peaceful Vinales Valley and Trinidad (note: Trinidad is not included in the six-day trip).
Visit www.accesstrips.com
Report: Jose Marti International Airport to be Renovated
The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that the recent influx of tourists heading to Cuba have created major congestion at the airports, creating long waits at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport.
According to the AP, this has prompted the Cuban Government to enter a partnership with Aeroports de Paris, the French government-controlled firm that runs Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly Airport and other Paris airports. That agreement calls for Aeroports de Paris to receive a concession to operate Jose Marti International Airport, which would be renovated by the French firm Bouygues.
According to the AP report, “updating the airport to receive hundreds of thousands more tourists a year will almost certainly become of the most important infrastructure projects in Cuba, and the largest French-Cuban deal since President Francois Hollande visited the island in May 2015.”
For the AP report, click here.
Fathom Partners With Airbnb, Offering New Incentives for Airbnb Hosts
Fathom, the Carnival Corporation cruise company best known for its recent journeys to Cuba, is partnering up with Airbnb, the community-driven hospitality company, to start a new “give and get” opportunity for new Airbnb hosts in the United States. People who sign up to become a new host with Airbnb will receive a $250 credit for a Fathom cruise to the Dominican Republic or Cuba.
The goal of the partnership is to give back to new Airbnb hosts for their stateside impacts by providing them with insights into the everyday lives, culture and history of the local Dominican and Cuban communities, Fathom said. The two groups also recommend booking an Airbnb stay before or after a Fathom cruise out of Miami for the most authentic Floridian experience.
Prices for the seven-day trips to the Dominican Republic start at $499 per person. For the seven-day Cuban itineraries, prices start at $1,899. Both cruises set sail on the MV Adonia.
To receive the $250 Fathom credit, potential new Airbnb hosts in the U.S. should view the terms and conditions at www.airbnb.com/events/fathom/terms.
Visit www.fathom.org/airbnb and keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for all your latest Cuba travel news. Be sure to follow Travel Agent's Joe Pike on Twitter @TravelPike.