Tourism in Cuba has all but disappeared, as hotels close and airlines cancel routes because of fuel shortages. Photo by Ernesto Mastrascusa/EPA
Spanish hotel operator Meliá Hotels International said Wednesday it will stop managing 15 hotels linked to Cuba’s military-run conglomerate GAESA, expanding the withdrawal of foreign operators from the island just days before new U.S. sanctions take effect.
The decision makes Meliá the fourth international hotel company to reduce or end operations in Cuba in less than a week, following the departures announced by Blue Diamond, Iberostar and Archipelago International under its Aston brand.
Meliá informed Spain’s National Securities Market Commission that its Portuguese subsidiary, Ilha Bela, will immediately terminate management, marketing and brand-use services at hotels associated with entities controlled by GAESA, according to Forbes España.
The company said the economic impact will be limited because many of the affected properties already were closed or only partially open.
In February, the Spanish hotel chain confirmed the temporary closure of several properties due to fuel shortages, transportation problems affecting workers and a sustained decline in tourism demand, CiberCuba reported.
At that time, the company operated 35 hotels on the island and said it was not considering leaving the Cuban market.
The latest move comes two days before the deadline set by President Donald Trump’s administration for foreign companies to sever commercial ties with Cuba’s military conglomerate or face potential economic sanctions.
GAESA controls a significant portion of the Cuban economy and dominates large segments of the tourism sector through companies such as Gaviota Tourism Group.
On Tuesday, Archipelago International withdrew from several hotels operated under the Aston brand for Gaviota, including properties in Havana, Varadero and Cuba’s northern cays.
Days earlier, Canada’s Blue Diamond announced the end of its operations on the island, while Spain’s Iberostar stopped managing 12 hotels linked to GAESA assets.
None of the companies officially attributed their departure to the U.S. measures.
The withdrawals coincide with a deep crisis in Cuba’s tourism sector. According to data cited by IndexBox, Cuba received 328,608 international visitors between January and April 2026, a 55.8% decline from the same period a year earlier.
The deterioration is also affecting air transportation, as at least 11 airlines have suspended or reduced flights to Cuba this year.
The withdrawal of Meliá and Iberostar has also raised concerns in Spain.
Jaume Bauzà, tourism, culture and sports minister for the Balearic Islands regional government, said Wednesday that authorities are closely monitoring the situation facing the two Mallorca-based companies and offered institutional support.
“We will look after them. This is a commercial matter, but if we can help in any way, we will do so,” Bauzà said, according to Forbes España.
He said he hopes the situation can be resolved “as quickly as possible” for the companies and the Cuban population.
