FITCuba 2026 in Varadero: 'You Live in Another Galaxy'

At a time when Cuban hotels are closing entire sections due to low occupancy and airports languish without fuel for return flights, the official announcement of the International Tourism Fair (FITCuba 2026) has fallen like a bucket of cold water on public opinion.

Total Disconnect from Reality

The 44th edition of the fair, set to take place in Varadero from May 6 to 10, 2026, was met with the viral comment: “You live in another galaxy.” This phrase captures the sentiment of a population facing blackouts of over 12 hours a day while watching the government spend millions of euros on promotional events and the construction of new luxury hotels.

Canada: The Embattled Guest

It is paradoxical that the guest country of honor is Canada, the market that delivered the hardest blow to Cuban tourism in February 2026 by suspending over 100 weekly flights due to the jet fuel supply crisis. Experts wonder how the Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) plans to attract Canadian business delegations when the Ottawa government itself advises “exercising extreme caution” due to the instability of basic services on the island.

The Elephant in the Room

During the event’s presentation, local authorities in Matanzas spoke of a fair dedicated to sun and beach, completely ignoring that more than 1,700 flights have been canceled this year and hotel occupancy averages just 15%.

While gala dinners and parades are prepared in Varadero for FITCuba, in the rest of the country, the lack of foreign currency prevents the purchase of basic medical supplies and fuel for agriculture. For many, FITCuba 2026 is nothing more than a marketing mirage in a sector sinking under its own inefficiency and lack of investment in critical areas of society.