Responsible Travel on a Guided Tour

This was the first time I’ve done an organized tour such as the Hola Cuba: Intrepid tour. In the past, I’ve done the odd 2-day tours every now and then, but never have I done a 9-day trip like this. There are a variety of reasons why I tend to prefer traveling on my own schedule. I prefer going at my own pace, I don’t particularly like following a set itinerary, and flexibility is something that I value while traveling. But alas, as an American, we have to follow certain rules in order to travel in Cuba, but I’m glad I got to travel with a tour operator that values responsible tourism.

Viñales

I like finding activities that will let me engage with local communities and enjoy an authentic experience, but by traveling with a tour, I was concerned that we would be steered to events, attractions, and shops that wouldn’t directly benefit those in need. Tourism is certainly a powerful economic development tool, and one that is so much more prevalent in Caribbean nations such as Cuba. At the end, I was pleasantly surprise with the tour we embarked on because Intrepid tried to make sure that they were operating in the most responsible manner in order to have a social and economic impact for local communities.

Our tour guide, Inti, in Cienfuegos

The tour made sure that we would buy local when possible. That is partially because large international corporations haven’t invested in Cuba yet like they have at other destinations, but everywhere we shopped, ate, and stayed were more or less locally owned. The tour also made sure that we respected the communities that we visited, and that is essential for a people-to-people trip like this. We had the opportunity to meet local artisans, tobacco farmers, salsa dancers, and at every point we were encouraged to be mindful of the places where we visited.

This tour was able to change my thoughts about the typical tour groups, and I appreciate the chance to come to this realization in a country like Cuba.