Hotels & Accommodations
Cuba’s Tourism Sector Struggles to Survive Amid U.S. Sanctions Targeting Landmark Hotels and Key Government Figures
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Cuba’s tourist sector, which was weakened in the first place, was confronted with a new list of U.S. restrictions, further tightening the pressure on the island’s weakened economy. The U.S. State Department recently increased its “restricted list” when they added 11 new entries, including the Iberostar Selection La Habana, which is a recently opened high-end hotel in Havana. The 42-story high-rise Torre K, which opened earlier this year, is now the tallest structure in all of Cuba.
Under these sanctions, American citizens and companies are not allowed to engage in dealings with the hotel, either in accommodation or in business. The U.S. government asserts that such companies as Torre K are owned or operate on behalf of the military, intelligence, or security agencies of Cuba. Such sanctions are further in line with the larger policy of President Trump’s administration for increased pressure on the Cuban economy.
These sanctions are in line with the anniversary of the 2019 Cuban protests, which were responded to violently by the regime. Thousands were rounded up, most still in jail. Along with the hotel sanctions, the U.S. has also sanctioned visas against major Cuban officials for their crackdown.
The U.S. government’s overarching goal is to destabilize Cuba’s crucial tourism sector, which provides vital foreign currency for the island. While many other Caribbean nations have rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on tourism, Cuba is still grappling with severe challenges. According to data from Tourism Analytics, tourism to Cuba decreased by 27% in the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. This decline is even more striking when compared to pre-pandemic levels, with a staggering 62% drop since 2019.
The current downturn in tourist traffic is making matters worse in an economic crisis that is the most serious the island has seen since the Soviet collapse. Although most foreign observers blame the Cuban authoritarian practices for the economic problems, officials in Havana claim that the long-standing U.S. economic embargo is mostly responsible. As a reaction to the sanctions, officials in Cuba have been defiant. The U.S. was recently condemned by Cuba’s Foreign Minister, as he said that, even though the U.S. can apply sanctions and keep their blockade, they will not shatter the determination of the people or the Government of Cuba.
The Trump administration has been uniformly hard on Cuba. Since returning to office, the administration has promptly rolled back liberalisations, like placing Cuba back on the U.S. “state sponsors of terrorism” list, a designation which dissuades outward investment. The U.S. has also been using multilateral institutions in exerting pressure on Cuba.
One remarkable U.S. diplomatic effort is the current effort to seat Rosa Maria Paya, daughter of deceased Cuban dissident Oswaldo Paya, on the Organization of American States’ Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Oswaldo Paya died in an automobile accident in 2012, which his family suspects was politically driven. Rosa Maria Paya’s election is seen as another effort to confront Cuba’s leadership and further exclude the government in the international arena.
As the island grapples with rising economic challenges and declining tourism, the new sanctions and global demands are poised to further strain its economy. The tumultuous relationship between the island and United States remains, and the tourism, which is such a crucial economic component, remains hampered under the shadow of the existing sanctions. With both homegrown and global problems, the future for the economy in Cuba is far from clear, and the future seems to be filled with adversity.
Hotels & Accommodations
Wipro, LTIMindtree, Axis Bank, Indian Hotels, Jio Financial, RIL
Axis Bank Q1FY26 Highlights (Standalone, YoY)
-
NII up 1% to Rs 13,560 crore versus Rs 13,448 crore (Estimate: Rs 13,970 crore).
-
Net Profit down 3.8% to Rs 5,806 crore versus Rs 6,035 crore (Estimate: Rs 6,376 crore).
-
Provisions up 94% to Rs 3,948 crore versus Rs 2,039 crore.
-
Net NPA at 0.45% versus 0.33% (QoQ).
-
Gross NPA at 1.57% versus 1.28% (QoQ).
-
Fresh slippages at Rs 8,200 crore versus Rs 4805 crore.
Wipro Q1FY26 Highlights (Consolidated, QoQ)
-
Revenue down 1.65% to Rs 22,134 crore versus Rs 22,504.2 crore. (Estimate: Rs 22,078 crore).
-
EBIT decreased 9.09% to Rs 3,548 crore versus Rs 3,902 crore. (Estimate: Rs 3,783 crore).
-
EBIT margin contracted 132 basis points to 16.02% versus 17.3%. (Estimate: 17.1%).
-
Net profit fell 7.02% to Rs 3,336 crore versus Rs 3,588 crore. (Estimate: Rs 3,249 crore).
LTIMindtree Q1 FY26 Highlights (Consolidated, QoQ)
-
Revenue 0.7% up at Rs 9,840.60 crore versus Rs 9,771.70 crore. (Estimate: Rs 9,855 crore).
-
EBIT up 5% to Rs 1,406.50 crore versus Rs 1,345.40 crore. (Estimate: Rs 1416 crore).
-
EBIT margin at 14.3% versus 13.8%. (Estimate: 14%).
-
Net profit up 11% to Rs 1,254.10 crore versus Rs 1,128.50 crore. (Estimate: Rs 1,194 crore).
-
Trailing 12-month attrition was 14.4%.
-
Revenue – Constant Currency (CC) terms grew by 0.8% QoQ and 4.4% YoY.
-
Order Inflow at 1.63 (USD Billion) vs 1.60 (USD Billion) QoQ, 1.40 (USD Billion) YoY.
Indian Hotels Co Q1 FY26 Highlights (Consolidated, YoY)
-
Revenue 31.7% up at Rs 2,041.08 crore versus Rs 1,550.23 crore.
-
Ebitda up 28% to Rs 576.03 crore versus Rs 449.60 crore.
-
Ebitda margin at 28.2% versus 29%.
-
Net profit up 19% to Rs 296.37 crore versus Rs 248.39 crore.
Jio Financial Services Q1 FY26 Highlights (Consolidated, YoY)
-
Net Profit up 3.8% to Rs 325 crore versus Rs 313 crore.
-
Total Income up 48.3% at Rs 619 crore versus Rs 418 crore.
-
AUM of JioBlackRock Asset Management exceeds Rs. 17,800 crore.
-
Jio Credit Limited AUM at Rs. 11,665 crore, up from Rs. 217 crore in Q1 FY25
-
Pre-provisioning Operating Profit at Rs. 366 crore, up 8% YoY
Nuvoco Vistas Corporation Q1 FY26 (Consolidated, YoY)
-
Revenue up 8.95% at Rs 2872 crore versus Rs 2636 crore.
-
Ebitda up 51.02% at Rs 518 crore versus Rs 343 crore.
-
Ebitda margin up 502 bps at 18.03% versus 13.01%.
-
Net profit at Rs 133 crore versus Rs 2.25 crore.
-
Other income grew by 3.2 times at Rs 14.8 crore vs Rs 4.52 crore
Ceat Q1 FY26 (Consolidated, YoY)
-
Revenue up 10.5% at Rs 3,529 crore vs Rs 3,193 crore.
-
Ebitda up 1.3% at Rs 388 crore vs Rs 383 crore.
-
Margin at 11% versus 12%.
-
Net Profit down 27% At Rs 112 crore versus Rs 154 crore.
-
Re-appoints Arnab Banerjee as MD, CEO for a further 2 years.
-
To spend Rs 450 crore on capex at Chennai Plant.
Sterling and Wilson Renewable Energy Q1 FY26 Highlights (Consolidated, YoY)
-
Revenue up 92.5% to Rs 1,761.63 crore versus Rs 915.06 crore.
-
Ebitda at Rs 85.46 crore versus Rs 24.68crore.
-
Margin at 4.9% versus 2.7%.
-
Net Profit up multifold to Rs 31.97 crore versus Rs 4.19 crore.
Tata Communications Q1 FY26 Highlights (Consolidated, QoQ)
-
Revenue down 0.5% to Rs 5,959.85 crore versus Rs 5,990.35 crore.
-
Ebitda up 1% to Rs 1,136.81 crore versus Rs 1,122.08 crore.
-
Margin at 19.1% versus 18.7%
-
Net Profit down 82% to Rs 190.14 crore versus Rs 1,040.51 crore.
-
Notable slip in net profit owing to Rs 311.2 crore exceptional gain in the previous quarter.
Sunteck Realty Q1 FY26 Highlights (Consolidated, YoY)
-
Revenue down 40.5% at Rs 188 crore versus Rs 316 crore.
-
Ebitda up 52% to Rs 47.7 crore versus Rs 31.4 crore.
-
Ebitda margin at 25.4% versus 9.9%.
-
Net profit up 46.8% to Rs 33.4 crore versus Rs 22.8 crore.
-
Pre-sales grew to ~Rs.657 crore, up 31% YoY.
-
Collections stood strong at ~Rs.351 crore.
Shoppers Stop Q1 FY26 Highlights (Consolidated, YoY)
-
Revenue 8.6% up at Rs 1,161.08 crore versus Rs 1,069.31 crore.
-
Ebitda up 20% to Rs 171.51 crore versus Rs 142.92 crore.
-
Ebitda margin at 14.8% versus 13.4%.
-
Net loss at Rs 15.74 crore versus loss of Rs 22.72 crore.
Clean Science Q1 FY26 Highlights (Consolidated, YoY)
-
Revenue up 8.4% to Rs 243 crore versus Rs 224 crore.
-
Ebitda up 5.5% to Rs 99.8 crore versus Rs 94.7 crore.
-
Margin at 41.1% versus 42.3%.
-
Net Profit up 6.3% to Rs 70.1 crore versus Rs 65.9 crore.
360 One WAM Q1 FY26 Highlights (YoY)
Hotels & Accommodations
Packages and promotions – The Korea Herald
Packages and promotions The Korea Herald
Source link
Hotels & Accommodations
Hotels, restaurants now don’t need police cert for liquor licence | Delhi News
New Delhi: Delhi govt has removed the requirement for an eating house registration and lodging certificate from police for serving liquor in hotels, clubs and restaurants in the national capital.According to officials, the certificate was a prerequisite to apply for a licence from the excise department to serve beer, wine and spirits, and it often took weeks to be issued by Delhi Police. However, lieutenant governor VK Saxena issued directions in June to withdraw powers from Delhi Police to issue licences/certificates/no-objection certificates to seven categories of businesses, including eateries, hotels, motels and guesthouses. A notification was subsequently issued by the commissioner of police, repealing its regulatory power in the matter with immediate effect.In an order issued earlier this week, the excise department stated that applications for the grant or renewal of different kinds of licences, including L-11 (retail vend of microbreweries), L-15 (hotel, guesthouse with room service of liquor), and L-16 (serving of liquor at bars, restaurants attached to hotels), were not required to submit the eating house registration and lodging certificate.The exempted categories also include L-17 (service of liquor at independent restaurants) and L-19 (round-the-clock service of liquor at departure and arrival lounges of international airports), among other excise licences.The certificate from police used to be a significant hurdle before obtaining the appropriate excise licence. “The process of getting a police licence was very cumbersome. Even if all the papers were in order, they would still find faults and make you take rounds to their office. They were aware that this licence is the last hurdle for a restaurant to cross to get a liquor licence and would try their best to delay it. Even though we had to apply online, they would not issue it until you visited,” said a restaurateur. Manpreet Singh, treasurer of National Restaurant Association of India, said Delhi was one of the two cities in the entire country that required such a licence, and the lieutenant governor and the chief minister gave a “great gift” by abolishing it. “Now the process of opening a restaurant has become easier and faster. This will attract more investment in this sector, not just locally but also nationally and internationally,” he added.Another restaurateur mentioned that the process of issuing a police licence was specified to be completed within 45 days but often took months due to last-minute queries.The excise department grants licences to any club, restaurant or hotel to serve liquor after the submission of fire safety and municipal corporation certificates. With the eating house certificate gone, the process to get the excise licence will speed up now.
-
The Travel Revolution of Our Era3 weeks ago
‘AI is undeniably reshaping the core structure of the hospitality ecosystem’: Venu G Somineni
-
Brand Stories7 days ago
The Smart Way to Stay: How CheQin.AI Is Flipping Hotel Booking in Your Favor
-
Brand Stories2 weeks ago
Voice AI Startup ElevenLabs Plans to Add Hubs Around the World
-
Mergers & Acquisitions6 days ago
How Elon Musk’s rogue Grok chatbot became a cautionary AI tale
-
Asia Travel Pulse2 weeks ago
Looking For Adventure In Asia? Here Are 7 Epic Destinations You Need To Experience At Least Once – Zee News
-
Mergers & Acquisitions1 week ago
Amazon weighs further investment in Anthropic to deepen AI alliance
-
Mergers & Acquisitions1 week ago
UK crime agency arrests 4 people over cyber attacks on retailers
-
AI in Travel2 weeks ago
‘Will AI take my job?’ A trip to a Beijing fortune-telling bar to see what lies ahead | China
-
Mergers & Acquisitions2 weeks ago
ChatGPT — the last of the great romantics
-
Mergers & Acquisitions1 week ago
EU pushes ahead with AI code of practice
You must be logged in to post a comment Login