American Tourists in Cuba: Implications of Cross-Cultural Encounters

American tourism to Cuba has waxed and waned in response to changes in the political relationship. During the 1940s many Americans saw Havana as an exotic locale for their holidays. In contrast, during the Cold War, American tourism to the island was almost non-existent. Following the Cold War, some Americans returned, especially after Raul Castro and Barack Obama began to normalise relations. Although the numbers declined during the Trump presidency and the pandemic, interest in travelling to Cuba remains and a significant number of Americans continue to visit the island. Using an “other diplomacies” framework, this article discusses the impact of tourism encounters on the evolution of the US–Cuba relationship, paying attention to the degree to which encounters between American citizens and Cubans have the potential to inform public opinion and influence the relationship between the two societies and their polities.