The US administration, under President Donald Trump’s second term, has expanded its sanctions against Cuba by adding the Cuban Ministry of Tourism to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list.

While the exact operational impacts are still unclear, any direct or indirect business with an OFAC-listed entity poses severe legal and compliance risks for international airlines, hotel chains, and travel agencies. This follows earlier US restrictions, including disrupted oil shipments, blocked Western credit card payments, and the exit of some international hotel chains.

The Cuban government strongly condemned the decision. The Cuban Tourism Office in Germany argued that the move violates international law and targets the living conditions of the Cuban people. Despite the new hurdles, the Ministry urged international travelers to continue visiting the island.

The sanctions compound existing struggles within Cuba’s tourism industry, which is battling a drop in international flights and a deepening energy crisis. The country recently suffered its second nationwide blackout in a week due to aging energy infrastructure and oil shortages.

Sector representatives warn that these new sanctions will further cripple Cuba’s competitiveness in the global tourism market and likely force foreign companies to re-evaluate their operations in the country.