Spanish Hotel Chain Meliá to Close 15 Cuban Hotels Amid New U.S. Sanctions

Spanish hotel chain Meliá is closing 15 of its 34 managed hotels in Cuba, citing corporate responsibility and external factors following new U.S. sanctions and an ongoing oil embargo.

Key points

• The closures affect properties in major tourist destinations including Varadero, Cayo Santa María, and Jardines del Rey.
• The U.S. executive order targets the Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), a business conglomerate operated by the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces.
• Other international hotel operators, including Canada-based Royalton and Spain-based Iberostar, have also recently limited or suspended their Cuban operations.
• Cuba's tourism sector has experienced a significant decline, with first-quarter visitor numbers dropping 48 percent compared to the same period in 2025.

Why it matters

The withdrawal of major international partners from Cuba's hotel sector threatens the country's vital tourism industry and thousands of local jobs amid broader economic instability.