Cuba's once‑strong tourism industry -- long one of the island's biggest economic pillars -- is now facing a serious downturn. At the same time, recent geopolitics, including the United States' surprise military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, have thrown fresh uncertainty into U.S.-Cuba relations and the broader strategy across the Western Hemisphere.
Americans are poised to hit the roads, airports and ports in record numbers this year, underscoring the resilience of consumer travel demand even as broader economic uncertainty lingers.
U.S. holiday travel is on track to hit record levels this Thanksgiving, with the American Automobile Association projecting 81.8 million people will journey at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday, Nov. 25, and Monday, Dec. 1, 2025.
Occupancy at U.S. short-term rentals is plunging heading into late summer, underscoring a tougher operating environment for Airbnb hosts and property managers facing cautious consumers.