SAN FRANCISCO, April 2 (UPI) -- The lodging website Airbnb said Thursday it will list over 1,000 homes in Cuba available for short-term rental.
The move by the U.S.-based company, which matches travelers with private hosts to rent homes and apartments, comes after President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced a relaxation of an isolationist policy in December. Because of a continuing U.S. embargo, Airbnb is restricted from offering Cuban residences to customers outside the United States.
"We are actually plugging into an existing culture of micro-enterprise in Cuba. The hosts in Cuba have been (renting rooms) for decades," said Airbnb regional director Kay Kuehne.
U.S. travelers can currently travel to Cuba after obtaining a license granted for family visits, educational endeavors or public performances. While the bed-and-breakfast business in Cuba is poised to expand, two elements are slowing its growth: the Airbnb policy of receiving 15 percent of the cost of the lodging from both the host and the guest when less expensive means of conducting business will likely become available, and Cuba's notoriously slow Internet service.
"We couldn't be more excited that, starting today, licensed U.S. travelers will now be able to experience the unique culture and warm hospitality that makes the island so special through our new Cuban community," Airbnb co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk said. The company is currently not on the list of agencies offering licenses for travel to Cuba.
