西班牙酒店连锁集团美利亚周二宣布将完全退出古巴业务，该决定自周五起生效[1]。该公司的撤离决定源于美国制裁带来的严重运营、法律和财务困难[1]。
美国政府于7月13日对古巴旅游部实施新制裁后，美利亚随即暂停了通过与古巴军商联合体GAESA旅游机构的协议运营的15家酒店[1]。这一举措最终导致了公司决定全面退出古巴市场。
美利亚在古巴曾经拥有34家五星级酒店，主要位于哈瓦那、瓦拉德罗度假村等地[1]。该公司面临的制裁措施包括资产冻结、禁止在美国金融市场运营以及对股东和员工实施旅行禁令[1]。
美利亚的撤出进一步反映了美国制裁对古巴旅游业的重大冲击。2024年第一季度，古巴旅游抵达人数仅为298,000人，较2015年同期下降48%[1]。此前，西班牙Iberostar和加拿大Royalton等其他酒店集团也已先后撤出古巴市场[1]。
Spanish hospitality group Meliá announced on Tuesday its complete withdrawal from Cuba, effective Friday [1]. The decision follows mounting operational, legal, and financial challenges stemming from U.S. sanctions on the island nation [1].
The pullout was triggered in part by fresh American sanctions targeting Cuba's tourism ministry on July 13, which led Meliá to suspend management of 15 hotels it operated through agreements with GAESA, a Cuban military-linked commercial entity that itself faced sanctions in May 2024 [1].
Meliá previously operated 34 five-star properties across Cuba, concentrated in locations such as Havana and Varadero resort areas [1]. The company's exit reflects the severe impact of sanctions on Cuba's tourism sector, with visitor arrivals during the first quarter of 2024 plummeting 48 percent compared to the same period in 2015, reaching only 298,000 visitors [1].
U.S. sanctions measures against the company include asset freezes, prohibition from operating in American financial markets, and travel restrictions imposed on shareholders and employees [1]. Other international hotel operators, including Spain's Iberostar and Canada's Royalton, have similarly withdrawn from Cuba [1].