LATOUR Launches Specialty Cuban Tours

Cuba is now the destination to visit, landing on top of The New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2015 list and Travel + Leisure's Best Places to Travel in 2015 lists – among others.

With the U.S. and Cuba currently restoring diplomatic relations (lessening restrictions but still mandating "purposeful" travel), now is the time to see the country, before it changes. LATOUR, a member of The Isramworld Portfolio of Brands and the premier expert in travel to Latin America, is offering travelers a taste of the Caribbean island nation with the launch of three unparalleled itineraries – Hello Cuba, Shalom Cuba and LGBT Cuba – as the only tour operator to offer regular specialty departures.

Licensed via the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) through June 2016, LATOUR's people-to-people exchange programs feature a series of cultural experiences to shed light on Cuba's history as well as its vivacious arts, culture and music scenes.

"What travelers don't realize is that the government announcement is not directly impacting currently scheduled trips; you can't just get on a plane to Havana tomorrow – people-to-people experiences are still the way to legally travel," said Arthur Berman, Executive Vice President at LATOUR. "A destination as dynamic as Cuba deserves more than one visit. There are few places in the world that offer us a 'before and after' experience, and I am encouraging travelers to go now – and later."

Hello Cuba is a nine day tour starting at $4,499  that kicks off in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Havana before moving on to Cienfuegos and Trinidad, one of Cuba's best-preserved colonial towns and the heart of the country's cigar industry.

The Shalom Cuba package for nine days and eight nights  at $4,299 and focuses on Jewish life in Cuba. Guests will meet Jewish Cubans at their synagogues and institutions during stops through Havana, Santa Clara, Cienfuegos, and Trinidad.

The third tour is the LGBT Cuba tour again for nine days and eight nights at $4,499. From learning about the social challenges gays face in Cuba, to meetings with artists, dancers and musicians, plus the magical spell of tropical nights and the grandeur and intoxicating pulse of Old Havana, LGBT Cuba doesn't miss a beat. 

For more detailed descriptions of the intineraries, visit the LATOUR website.