Global Affairs Canada (GAC) escalated its travel advisory for Cuba on 5 October, urging Canadians to **avoid non-essential travel** as the island grapples with unprecedented shortages of fuel, food, medicine and electricity. The advisory notes that every Canadian airline has now suspended service to Cuba, meaning travellers must rely on foreign carriers that could withdraw with little notice. The shortages are hitting tourists directly: resorts struggle to keep generators running during daily power cuts; ground transport is frequently disrupted for lack of gasoline; and some visitors have found themselves stranded mid-journey when rental cars ran out of fuel. Consular officials in Havana caution that their ability to assist could also be curtailed if conditions worsen. For Canadian tour operators the advisory is a major blow ahead of the winter sun-season. Packages must now be re-routed or refunded, and companies will need to re-deploy aircraft to alternative Caribbean destinations. Travellers holding future bookings are being advised to monitor airline communications closely and verify travel-insurance clauses related to governmental advisories. Business travellers face additional complexities. Cash is king in Cuba’s faltering economy, yet ATM networks often collapse during blackouts. GAC recommends carrying sufficient hard currency and securing a contingency exit plan that does not depend on the Canadian embassy. Canadians already in Cuba should enrol in the "Registration of Canadians Abroad" program, maintain a stockpile of essentials, and keep devices charged whenever electricity is available. Anyone considering new travel is urged to defer plans until the advisory level is downgraded and commercial links stabilise.
