Booking.com, part of The Priceline Group, has announced that it will become the first online U.S. travel brand to offer instantly bookable hotel properties for certain U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba, one of the world’s most sought-after destinations, globally. After months of work with the Cuban authorities and local hotels, the first properties will be ready to book in the coming weeks on Booking.com.
The company’s move follows the recent loosening of restrictions for U.S. travelers to Cuba. The announcement means that Cuba will soon become instantly bookable for U.S. travelers that meet the criteria currently approved by the U.S. government for travel to Cuba. At the outset, properties will be available in Havana and consumers can book instantly and avoid the need to rely on a property owner to respond to and accept a travel request. Plans are in place to increase the number of properties in Havana and beyond daily to give U.S. travelers the more diversity of choice.
“Cuba is a beautiful, culture-rich country that many travelers are keen to visit,” says Todd Dunlap, Managing Director, Americas, Booking.com. “At Booking.com, we are on a constant mission to bring our customers everything they want to help them experience the world. With the news of the easing of U.S. travel restrictions, we began working immediately with the local Cuban government, tourism authorities and our local hotel partners to launch the first platform to allow travelers to book and confirm instantly with the click of a button. They have been great partners for us on this journey and we are thrilled to be able to facilitate new experiences for U.S. travelers.”
