Fort Lauderdale gay and lesbian chamber plans LGBT tour of Cuba Oct. 15-18

Fort Lauderdale gay and lesbian chamber plans LGBT tour of Cuba Oct. 15-18

A four-day LGBT tour of Cuba is being planned Oct. 15-18
Cost: $2,300 gay chamber members; $2,495 nonmembers
Some LGBT Cuban Americans in South Florida object to the trip
BY STEVE ROTHAUS
srothaus@miamiherald.com

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is
preparing a four-day LGBT tour of Cuba beginning Oct. 15.

"Join us on this exclusive and historic Taste of Cuba! Our exciting
journey is limited to 25 people, so secure your spot now," reads the
chamber website.

"I believe this is the first trip of its kind — others are planned, but
we are leaving on Oct. 15," gay chamber President/CEO Keith Blackburn
tells the Miami Herald.

Here's a quick Q&A with Blackburn about the trip:

Q: How many people can travel with the group?

A: ​Anywhere between 10 and 25. ​

Q: How much and why is this a fair value?

​A: The all-inclusive cost to our members is $2,300. Future members are
$2,495 per person.​

It is priced similarly to similar packages, but ours includes five-star
hotels. which are essential in Cuba. All in all, I think it is a great
value. In my research, I have discovered some four-star hotels without
air conditioning and or hot water! Because of this, we went with
five-star hotels.

The all-inclusive price includes:

▪ 5-Star Hotel accommodations at Melia Cohiba and Royal Hicacos

▪ Roundtrip flights from Miami to Havana

▪ Cuban entry visa

▪ Cuba departure tax

▪ One carry (up to 20 pounds) and one check bag

▪ Choice Aire administration fee and bank fees

▪ All meals included in itinerary

▪ Tour guide through trip duration

▪ Air-conditioned transportation throughout trip

WITH THE ​OLD ​RESTRICTIONS BEING EASED, THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GO
​— BEFORE IT BECOMES JUST ANOTHER TOURIST SPOT.
Fort Lauderdale gay chamber President/CEO Keith Blackburn,
on the group's upcoming four-day trip to Cuba

Q: What can people expect to see on the island?

A: Havana, Cuba, including a panoramic bus tour, Jose Marti Memorial,
Revolution Square and Morro-Cabana. Cienfuegos City, located in the
Central Southern part of the island, a World Heritage site by UNESCO in
2005. Sugar Mills Valley and the Historical Center of Trinidad, a World
Heritage site by UNESCO in 1988.

Q: Will there be government restrictions on what you can do and visit?

A: This tours complies with the categories of OFAC that allow travel to
Cuba. ​Our trip qualifies for the People to People program​. ​​It
includes: touring the city of Havana and Trinidad​; exchanging culture
with the locals while learning history. ​We will have English-speaking
tour guides as we explore many ​sites and learn of the history.

Q: Have you been to Cuba?

​A: This will be my first visit.​

Q: Many people in South Florida have conflicting opinions about
vacationing in Cuba. Why is this the right time to go there?

A: It is understandable that there are different opinions about Cuba
within the South Florida communities. There is much history there with
families and Cuban Americans who were born on the Island. ​Politics
aside, ​​Cuba has much to offer, with UNESCO World Heritage sites and more.

"With the ​old ​restrictions being eased, this is the perfect time to go
​— before it becomes just another tourist spot," Blackburn said.
"Europeans​, Canadians, South Americans, etc.​ have been going for
years, ​so I believe this is a great time. ​

Herb Sosa, a gay Cuban-American community leader and activist in South
Florida, believes the trip comes at the wrong time.

"Although it may be legally acceptable under the current policies, it is
unfortunate that a South Florida organization — that should be painfully
aware of the decades of human-rights violations on that island and its
direct results on South Florida — chooses Cuba as a vacation spot, once
again overlooking the harsh realities and lack of freedoms for all
Cubans on the island. There are many other World Heritage sites they can
choose at this time," Sosa said.

Blackburn says he understands the passion expressed by Sosa and many
other Cuban Americans.

"The U.S. has tried for half a century to effect change. The old
approach has obviously not been effective. Isolating the island didn't
create positive change," Blackburn said. "The current U.S.
administration has acted to make changes in the way we approach
relations with Cuba. By going on this trip, our chamber is in no way
endorsing the current situation in Cuba. Major changes need to take place.

"I also recognize the recent LGBT parade organized by Mariela Castro
(daughter of Cuban leader Raul Castro) in Havana, promoting same-sex
marriage and the human rights of the LGBT community," Blackburn said. "I
feel that efforts like this, along with people to people exchanges like
ours will help accelerate the long awaited change."

Steve Rothaus: 305-376-3770, @SteveRothaus

Source: Fort Lauderdale gay and lesbian chamber plans LGBT tour of Cuba
Oct. 15-18 | Miami Herald -
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/gay-south-florida/article37318950.html