Dear Music Traveler Friends,

We just concluded our Havana Salsa Fest Tour yesterday, and I want to share a direct update with you.

Over the past couple of months, Cuba has been at the center of intense headlines.

Fuel pressure, diplomatic tension, uncertainty. We have followed every development closely while remaining in daily contact with our team and family in Havana. Most importantly, we have just completed a full program on the ground.

We are prepared. We are operating. And we are confident in our ability to continue responsibly.

Conditions in Cuba are not simple. There are economic pressures and logistical realities that Cubans navigate every day. What is also true is that the private sector we work with, including guides, musicians, dance instructors, drivers, restaurant owners, and casa owners, continues to function and adapt.

We maintain layered operational plans for transportation and logistics, and on the tour that just concluded, everything ran smoothly under our primary arrangements.

With nine years of experience operating in Cuba, including through the pandemic, we know how to adapt when necessary. Right now, we are fully capable of continuing.

We are also seeing signs that the broader environment may be shifting in a positive direction. OFAC has authorized U.S. companies to sell fuel to Cuba’s private sector. That is significant and directly impacts the kinds of small businesses we collaborate with. There are credible reports of high-level discussions between U.S. and Cuban officials regarding economic reform and sanctions relief. The tone appears to be moving toward negotiation rather than escalation.

The U.S. State Department advisory remains at Level 2. Authorized travel categories remain intact. Airports are operating. The legal framework for cultural travel has not changed.

Beyond policy and logistics, this is about people.

The Cuban people need tourism right now. The slowdown caused by negative headlines has had a real impact on independent musicians, restaurant owners, drivers, artists, and families who rely on visitor income. Our work has always been about building bridges between people, creating cultural exchange, and fostering solidarity through music and shared experience.

We also received a new five-star TripAdvisor review from the Salsa Festival tour that just ended. It reflects exactly what we experienced on the ground.

We believe this is a meaningful moment to show up responsibly and intentionally.

Upcoming programs include:

• VIP Music Tour: April 16th-22nd, 2026

• Cuban Jazz and Rumba Tour: April 29th-May 4th, 2026

• Private and customized journeys available year-round

Beginning with this message, every new booking will include a $100 per person donation to our nonprofit, The CreatiVrole Project. These funds will go directly toward humanitarian support and creative community assistance in Cuba, including families with children and elders who need resources.

If you have been considering Cuba, we are here to answer your questions honestly and directly.

With respect and confidence,

Chaz Chambers

Founder & Director

Havana Music Tours & Musical Getaways

The trip of a lifetime (Guest Testimonial)

“… I’m writing this review the morning after I returned home from the trip. I feel like I’ve left some very good friends behind – friends I didn’t have a week ago. And when I go back, which I am already beginning to plan for, it will be with this group of people. I could not have wanted anything more”. Read more.