A Canadian travel content creator named Mike Fisher is sharing videos from Varadero that showcase deserted beaches, tropical fruit buffets, and mojitos, amassing hundreds of views on Facebook.
While his videos depict an accessible paradise, for the vast majority of Cubans, this is a distant and unattainable reality.
Last week, Fisher enthusiastically described a full lunch with a mojito at the Tres Mares Hotel for which he paid 3,100 Cuban pesos: "Just 7.75 Canadian dollars for this! The simple life in Varadero. The lunch was amazing," he admired.
What the tourist praises as a bargain nearly equals the entire monthly minimum wage of a Cuban worker, set at 3,210 pesos in 2026.
Stark Economic Disparities in Cuba
The disparity is stark. The official average salary in Cuba is approximately 7,074 pesos per month—less than 13 dollars at the informal exchange rate—yet this amount doesn't even cover 7% of a basic monthly basket estimated at 96,060 pesos, excluding electricity, water, and transportation.
Unintentionally, Fisher also captures the other side of this paradise. In another post, he described the buffet at the Starfish Cuatro Palmas resort with fewer than 50 guests and a reduced variety of food compared to three weeks earlier.
"The streets of Varadero are completely devoid of tourists. This low season will be tough for workers and locals. It's very quiet here... It's sad to see," he lamented.
The Harsh Reality for Cuban Locals
What Fisher refers to as sadness is, for thousands of Cubans reliant on the sector, an economic catastrophe. In 2026, national hotel occupancy does not exceed 21.5%, and between January and April of this year, Cuba received 55.8% fewer international tourists than in the same period of 2025.
While Fisher captures pitchers of fresh juices and chefs in uniform, 89% of Cubans live in extreme poverty, according to the Eighth Study on Social Rights in Cuba published in September 2025. Seven out of ten Cubans have skipped meals due to lack of money or scarcity, and one in four goes to bed without dinner.
Impact of Tourism Decline
Major Canadian airlines—the largest tourist market to the island—have suspended operations: Sunwing until October, Air Transat from June to October, and Air Canada until November.
The regime responded with a "tourism compaction" strategy, closing hotels with low occupancy to concentrate the few remaining guests, leaving thousands of workers in the sector unemployed.
The "paradise" Fisher depicts in his videos exists, but it is built on a reality that most Cubans only experience from the outside: four years of plummeting hotel occupancy and a humanitarian crisis that a tourist's camera frame cannot capture.
Cuba's Economic Struggles and Tourism Decline FAQ
What is the average salary in Cuba?
The official average salary in Cuba is approximately 7,074 pesos per month, which is less than 13 dollars at the informal exchange rate.
How has tourism in Cuba been affected in 2026?
In 2026, national hotel occupancy in Cuba does not exceed 21.5%, and there was a 55.8% decrease in international tourists between January and April compared to the same period in 2025.
What impact has the decline in tourism had on Cuban workers?
The decline in tourism has led to an economic catastrophe for those dependent on the sector, with many workers losing jobs as a result of hotel closures due to low occupancy.