Author: Suzan Haskins

Most of us envision Cuba as a sun-kissed land surrounded by warm, turquoise waters with miles of virgin beaches and swaying palm trees…where sugar cane fields give way to rolling hills and foreboding mountains shelter bearded rebels.

We imagine a crumbling-but-elegant city by the sea where vintage 1950s American cars glide along a never-ending malecon…and raucously glittering nightclubs where sexy couples bump and grind the night away, hips swaying in rhythm with a lively mambo beat.

But these visions are all that most of us have…because for nearly 50 years—thanks to a 1962 trade embargo imposed by the U.S. in retaliation for Cuba’s political alignment with the Soviet Union—U.S. citizens have been restricted from traveling or doing business in Cuba, except under special circumstances. Even though Cuba lies just 90 miles off the coast of the U.S., very few Americans have ever been there.

All that may be about to change. Although U.S. President Barack Obama has extended the trade embargo, he has loosened travel limitations for Cuban-Americans visiting family members and lifted caps on money Cuban-Americans may send relatives there.

And it’s very possible that the travel ban may soon be lifted entirely. Bills have been introduced in both the House and Senate to end the travel ban, and it is reported there may be enough votes to pass a bill in the House by the end of the year.

If that happens, watch for opportunities in Cuba to open quickly.

In this month’s cover article for International Living magazine, I’ve written about some of the most-promising opportunities. Most will be in tourism-related areas, as you might imagine. The American Society of Travel Agents estimates that 1.8 million Americans will visit Cuba in the first three years after the travel ban is lifted. That’s a huge market potential…

But opportunities exist in other areas, as well. Read my article to find out what I uncovered and discovered on my recent visit there…where I went, what I experienced, and how I was received. (You may be surprised!)

I’ve also included some valuable tips for anyone planning a visit to Cuba, including a way you can increase your chances of getting there soon.