CubaTrade-May2017-Flipbook

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TIMELY
Thus, Pearl Mist’s programming included artists’ studios,
musical performances, and national museums. Passengers had free
time onshore, so if their Spanish was good enough, they could
interact with ordinary Cubans. At a minimum, passengers exchanged
views with their Cuban guides (required on all excursions
by state-owned Havanatur). They also had ample opportunities to
inject cash into the Cuban economy: we dined at privately owned
paladares, visited street fairs offering curios and handicrafts, and, of
course, bought premium Cuban cigars and rum.
Passengers also won’t be content to remain onboard for the
very reason they chose a cruise to Cuba in the first place––to
experience the rich history and culture of Cuba. Typically, passage
on the smaller ships that call on Cuban ports is quite expensive,
and their well-educated passengers are particularly eager to
encounter the real Cuba.
STRATEGIC PHILANTHROPY
Cuban authorities could do more to expose passengers to local
culture simply by making it easier for Cuban artists to board
ships or display their fine arts (beyond curios) on or near the
docks. Cruise lines and Cuban authorities could also develop
institutional channels that would encourage compassionate
passengers to donate medicine and other humanitarian items to
needy Cubans, in ways that respect all parties.
Furthermore, U.S. cruise lines could add more value to the
host nation, going beyond “do no harm” to “doing good.” Following
the principle of strategic philanthropy (where altruism and
commercial motives merge), cruise lines could support community
projects in or near their ports of call. More ambitiously, they
could form partnerships with local entities responsible for coastal
and marine stewardship.
A further benefit to Cuba: the cruise ship industry promises to
Sitting pretty: Richard E. Feinberg takes a turn at the helm of the Pearl Mist
spread the wealth outside Havana to the relatively neglected provincial
cities. This positive impact on high-end private restaurants and
other retail outlets is already palpable in Cienfuegos—to the delight
of local merchants. As Cuba builds pier facilities in other towns, the
cruise industry can help reduce regional income disparities.
CUBA FROM THE SEA
Beyond their socioeconomic impact, cruise ships offer adventurous
travelers the perspective of entering cities from the sea—for
example, climbing from the port of Santiago de Cuba to the city’s
downtown, or entering from Havana harbor directly into the capital’s
magnificent Plaza de San Francisco, the heart of colonial Cuba.
Approaching Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, and Havana
from the sea immediately makes clear why the Spanish explorers
chose these three sites: expansive, well-protected bays, all
boasting majestic entrances from the sea, and all offering hillsides
where they could erect imposing fortifications to deter and, if
necessary, squash would-be marauders and invaders.
Circumnavigating this Pennsylvania-sized island, the sea
voyager is struck by Cuba’s unspoiled expanses of mangroves,
rugged hills, and mountain ranges—and the near-absence of
human settlement, especially along the southern coast. With 11.2
million inhabitants, low fertility rates, and continued high emigration
of young people, Cuba's population is likely to decline, if
modestly. That means ample space for tourism of all kinds—including
cruise ships—which if faithful to high-quality sustainability
criteria, can be the motor that creatively drives forward the
Cuban economy. H
Richard Feinberg is a professor at UC San Diego, a non-resident fellow at the
Brookings Institution, and the author of Open for Business: Building the New
Cuban Economy (2016).
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92 CUBATRADE MAY 2017