Speaking of Cuba -

[mvan1]

New York Times article dated today - 1/16/2014

Things WILL be changing soon - good news -

Congress approval will be needed prior to lifting ban on general tourism.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/16/world/americas/us-eases-decades-old-rules-on-travel-to-cuba.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

[mvan1]

New York Times article dated today - 1/16/2014

Things WILL be changing soon - good news -

Congress approval will be needed prior to lifting ban on general tourism.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/16/world/americas/us-eases-decades-old-rules-on-travel-to-cuba.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Here is a Washington Post article that is more informative concerning the supposed changes with respect to Americans traveling to Cuba for tourism:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/01/15/precisely-what-the-new-u-s-cuba-travel-rules-mean-for-americans-hoping-to-visit-cuba/

Reading through the article confirms that tourism by Americans to Cuba remains illegal, despite misleading headlines in the news recently.

Here is the second paragraph of the article that is quite specific about it still being unlawful for Americans to visit Cuba, solely for tourism.

"For starters, these changes will not allow official tourist travel to Cuba. Senior administration officials clarified in a conference call this morning that the new regulations "are not meant to facilitate tourist travel to Cuba, as tourist travel remains prohibited by statute." In other words, headlines that have run rampant in recent weeks telling Americans that they can now travel to Cuba are overstated, or, at the very least, misleading."

For those Americans who were told by various travel agencies that their travel to Cuba is lawful, are misinformed. Until the U S Congress removes the ban on general tourism, Americans cannot currently travel unrestricted to Cuba.