Suspension of Airbnb payments shake Cuban Tourism Entrepreneurs

The Airbnb accommodation platform has indefinitely suspended host payments in Cuba, affecting more than a thousand owners of tourist accommodations and experiences on the island.

This measure, implemented without prior notice, forces the hosts to seek bank accounts abroad or abandon the service, which represents a hard blow for Cuban independent tourism.

Since February 2025, many hosts began to notice the disappearance of their lodging calendars and the impossibility of receiving new reserves. Airbnb stopped accepting payment methods linked to the Cuban financial system, demanding that payments be made exclusively to foreign bank accounts.

Those who receive money in Cuba were paid for existing reserves, but they can no longer make new transactions.

The suspension also affects the “experiences” of Airbnb, activities organized by premises for international visitors, such as cooking, art, music or cultural tours.

These experiences represented an additional source of income for many Cubans and offered tourists a direct way to connect with the daily life of the country.

Airbnb has cited «recent federal regulations of the United States.» as the reason behind this decision. In 2022, the platform was fined more than 91 thousand dollars for “apparent violations” due to its operations in Cuba, which has led to a more strict review of its services on the island.

Cuban hosts now face significant challenges to adapt to this new reality. Many try to open accounts abroad, resort to relatives outside Cuba or use virtual cards. However, these methods require greater commissions, additional costs and greater third parties dependence.

At the same time, those who have already tried these ways are experiencing technical problems when updating their banking data, since the platform indicates that «it is not allowed to operate for that area», that is, in Cuba.

This situation occurs at a critical moment for tourism on the island. Between January and March 2025, the country received only 571,772 international visitors, which represents a 29.7% drop compared to the same period of the previous year.

The suspension of payments by Airbnb not only economically affects Cuban hosts, but also limits accommodation options for tourists looking for authentic and personalized experiences on the island.

Without viable alternatives offered by the platform, many entrepreneurs are trapped between sanctions, regulations and lack of state support.

In summary, Airbnb’s decision to suspend host payments in Cuba reflects the legal and political complexities faced by international platforms when operating on the island.

Meanwhile, Cuban hosts, which for years have contributed to independent tourism and the local economy, face the increasing uncertainty and the need to find new ways to support their businesses in an increasingly challenging environment.