Capitalism in a Communist country?!

On January 6^th, 2018, as part of the “Customer Experience Analysis in Cuba” course with The George Washington University (GWU), our group of twelve students, two GWU instructors, and two Intrepid Travel representatives were given the pleasure of walking the streets of Viñales, Cuba on an orientation-tour of the area we would be staying in for the next couple of days. Viñales is the doorway to the amazing Sierra de los Organos limestone mountains and the stunningly-green Viñales Valley. 

This city was one of our first experiences outside of Havana and encompassed the more rural and agricultural region of Cuba. Gone was the smell of decaying trash that littered the streets, sidewalks, and abandoned buildings of Havana, replaced with beautifully-restored Casas (the Cuban version of a Bed and Breakfast), packed Paladars

(proprietor-run restaurants in homes), majestic mountain views, enthusiastic
citizens and tourists walking the streets and sidewalks, a street market, and even a street festival full of music, food, and fun closing the main thoroughfare. Now don’t get me wrong, Havana is beautiful in its own right and in its own way. Havana has amazing buildings that are, unfortunately, now crumbling, decaying, and falling apart in some areas; this was also observed in every city that we visited throughout our Cuban experience. Viñales has this, too; but to a
lesser extent due to tourism.

Most buildings that we encountered in Viñales were restored, updated, or in the process of being updated; almost every home seemed to be licensed as a Casa. This matters in Cuba as it is only through the reality of Capitalism in a Communist country that this was/is possible.

Cuba suffered immense pain at the end of the Cold War when the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) withdrew its economic support for the Cuban government. Essentials were cut and hard to come by as the Cuban Communist government searched for a way to bring in new dollars and investment lost when the USSR withdrew. Eventually, it was realized that

tourism was the answer and licenses began to be issued for Cubans to run Casas and Paladars; this led to investment and restoration into homes and buildings that were previously left to decay. It has been amazingly successful; perhaps too much so…

The Cuban government has recently suspended new licenses for these businesses, as those proprietors are earning so much more money than their neighbors. This cannot be allowed in a Communist society where everyone is equal (albeit equally poor)!

It was here that our group encountered the reality of life in rural Cuba: horse drawn taxis; horse drawn carts; occasional hot water; reclaimed water tanks; rooftop laundry lines; lots and lots of potholes (some filled with manure waiting for a rain to wash it away), and more. 

None of this made the experience negative (well, Stuart stepping in a pothole full of manure wasn’t great…); indeed, it helped make the experience authentic and brought home the realities of life that others in our world face daily. 

You appreciate what you have, what you can have, and the opportunities available to you. You see firsthand how capitalism is helping people, despite what you might read on some protester's sign walking around the International Monetary Fund, White House, or National Mall.

Participating in courses, tours, and experiences such as this can help shape, or adjust, our world-view, understanding, and obligation to all humankind.

Experience Life – Travel – Read – LEARN; it does a body good!

A Consulting Experience in Cuba

This course was dynamic, multidimensional, full of insight and learning experiences. When registering for this course my main objective was to gain a deeper level of understanding when it came to consulting specifically consulting within the tourism. I was interested in analyzing the different aspects of the Intrepid Travel Itinerary which included Attractions, Lodging, Meals, Tour Guide, and overall analysis of Intrepid's Marketing of the trip. In specific, I held interests in analyzing two sectors, Lodging as well as Marketing. I have held various positions within the Hotel Operations sector and have built an "instinct" for analyzing lodging. It was an interesting experience amending my micro train of thought and adjusting it to have more of a macro approach. For example, when conducting a heuristic evaluation of an accommodation, I am used to analyzing specific standards such as HVAC Vents, Curtains, Bed Boards, etc, similar to what you would find on a Housekeeping Inspector sheet. On this experience I had to adjust my analysis to more of a macro level due to the environment of the Casa Particulares. It was understood that these accommodations were all not going to have shampoo for their guests due to the rationing system in Cuba. Therefore, it would be unfair in that case to focus on the lack of shampoo in the accommodations. I gained valuable experience when it came to analyzing the marketing techniques used by Intrepid Travel to maximize their potential for this trip. I was able to analyze both the owned and earned media platforms for Intrepid and with the rest of the team formulated a plan of action to best maximize the exposure of the Hola Cuba Itinerary to future travelers by using their current resources. My biggest takeaway was having the opportunity to fully integrate myself into the Cuban culture and understand the intricacies of how to conduct  a consulting analysis for all aspects of a tour itinerary. This course has helped me further define my passions within the tourism sector and I hope to continue my passion for consulting in the tourism sector in future coursework!

-Jonathan L Mendez

Its the Little Things That Count: My Lodging Experience with Intrepid Travel in Cuba

During my Hola Cuba experience through Intrepid Travel, one aspect of the experience which surpassed my expectations was that of lodging. Prior to the start of the itinerary I arrived to Havana a day early and was content with staying at a dimly lighted, thinned walled room with an inch thick mattress that was probably just as comfortable as the floor below. Throughout the trip, I was expecting to be sleeping in small rooms with chipped paint on its walled and minimal access to water, instead I was more than surprised. All the homes I stayed at had comfortable and clean rooms, with either twin or full beds, painted walls, high powered A/C units. Furthermore, the bathrooms were all private within the homes also known as (Casa Particulares) and had access to warm water at all times. With the basic amenities, what separated the experience in my mind was two aspects, one was the hosts and the other was the breakfast they provided. In terms of the host I noted the difference between a host that engaged with me first, and a host I had to engage with first. I am fortunate to speak Spanish, therefore my experience was welcoming within all the homes I visited, for I was able to engage in meaningful conversations with the families I stayed with. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case for many of my peers who could not be the ones to start a conversation with their hosts due to the language barrier. There was one experience that separated itself from the rest and that was the host I had for one night in Cienfuegos, ironically our shortest stay of the trip. The picture shown below, is of El Chino y Taty with my classmate Alex and myself. From the moment we got to their front door of their Casa we were welcomed with drinks and were engaged in dynamic discussion about Cuba, the United States, the city of Cienfuegos, family, friends, food and drink, music etc. I remember entering the home wanting to take a nap, but as soon as I started conversing, I did not want to stop, for my curiosity took over. Taty y El Chino are examples of engaging hosts who really care about their guests. It didn't matter that some of the guests staying with them didn't speak Spanish, they were still welcoming an engaging. Upon departure, we wrote all out names and emails in a book that they keep to contact all their past guests which was a great personal touch to rounded out the memorable experience. It is the small things that create an enjoyable experience for a traveller, one is a clean/safe room to sleep in and second is the opportunity to engage in genuine interactions with locals. Hence, why many people especially millennial's prefer to stay at hostels over hotels when traveling. In terms of food, I enjoyed all my breakfasts but left satisfied when a protein was provided such as eggs. We sometimes had long periods of travel and bread, coffee, and guava alone, although a cuban staple, wasn't sufficient for the activities we were partaking in throughout the day. I am thankful for having had the opportunity to learn from the Cuban people the true meaning of hospitality. 

-Jonathan L Mendez