Travel Notices

Friendly Planet Travel receives license renewal for travel to Cuba!

BACK TO CUBA: Friendly Planet receives its people-to-people license renewal to send travelers to Cuba!

BACK TO CUBA: Friendly Planet receives its people-to-people license renewal to send travelers to Cuba!

We have already sent over 1,000 travelers to Cuba in the first year of our people-to-people license (Jan.–Sept. 2012), and the year isn’t over yet. We’re hoping that many more travelers will take the opportunity to visit this unique country, rich in culture and history, because the U.S. Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) just renewed our people-to-people license through September 2014!

OFAC grants people-to-people licenses to travel providers that promote contact with Cuban people through educational exchanges concerning art, music, culture, and a whole host of other topics. It’s through this license that we, and our travelers, have experienced this wonderful country through meaningful and rewarding interactions with Cubans.

For travelers who travel because they love to explore new places for the purpose of meeting people in other lands, understanding how they live, what’s important to them, and being able to share the same about themselves, our people-to-people tours provide a perfect opportunity. We’re very excited to be able to continue offering these tours as one of a very select few tour operators fortunate enough to have this license.

We’ll continue to offer our two tours to Cuba: the five-day Discover Havana program, set in Havana with trips to Cojimar and Las Terrazas, and the eight-day Colors of Cuba program, which visits Havana, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Santa Clara, and more. We also plan to offer a new tour to Santiago, pending OFAC approval.

These tours include round trip airfare from Miami via a U.S. government-licensed charter service and letter of authorization, as well as a Cuba entrance visa. They also include all land transportation, superior hotel accommodations, and meals. Travelers will engage in comprehensive programs of educational exchanges organized by Friendly Planet with a professional, English-speaking local guide who will facilitate these exchanges, as well as the benefit of a Friendly Planet representative who will lead travelers throughout the program.

Have you traveled to Cuba on a people-to-people exchange program, or are planning one in the future? We’d love to hear your story! Feel free to leave it in a comment below.

4 Comments

  1. Rose Marie

    Dear Peggy,
    I am ecstatic over renewal of your OFAC license to go forward with Colors of Cuba. I am curious about any changes, additions or omissions to the detailed itinerary. Your website shows some changes in the detailed itinerary for Colors of Cuba. I do not see certain places such as Colon Cemetery, Finca Vigia, Craft Market in Havana, Romantic Museum, Casa Cantero in Trinidad, Teatro Terry and Botanical Garden in Cienfuegos and other places.

    Please update your detailed itinerary on Friendly Planet website.

    Thank you, Rose Marie

    Link
  2. Verna Barrett

    My friend and I experienced the Colors of Cuba program in September, 2012. It’s a jewel of an island. Our English speaking guide was excellent, We had great travel companions. Our Rep. guide was a great help getting us through customs quickly, coming and going – very reassuring. Congratulations on getting the two year extension.

    Link
  3. Amanda Crumley

    My girlfriends and I did the Colors of Cuba in September 2012 and had a truly wonderful experience. I am thrilled Friendly Planet got their license renewed because they are professionals, they know the country, they know the people and I left the country feeling I had learned a lot and experienced many once-in-a-lifetime moments.

    I will go back and I will recommend Friendly Planet to anyone wanting to visit Cuba. Rebecca Torres, the Friendly Planet guide who traveled with us, was great. As was our local guide, Frank, and Sergio, from Mountain Travel Sobek.

    Link
  4. Peggy Goldman

    Hi Rose Marie,

    Our itinerary has actually been enhanced, with additional people to people activities to round out our programs, but you can be sure you’re going to see everything that was originally in our program and much more. Why don’t you give us a call and we’ll gladly review the itinerary with you in detail. 800-555-5765

    Thanks, Peggy

    Link

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