New Orleans: Local Tourism Industry Watching Cuba Relations Closely

It's a new, historic chapter in underway in U.S.-Cuba relations. On Friday, the Obama administration re-opened the American Embassy there.

As the world waits to see if Congress will lift its embargo on the island, here in New Orleans, tourism officials are watching and waiting.

On Aug. 15, just before sunrise, history was made on Cuban soil. The United States seal was hung, and the red, white and blue hoisted into the sky at the American Embassy in Havana.

"There's a love affair kind of going on. You see as many U.S. flags as [you see] Cuban flags flying on the island," said Ana Lopez with Tulane University's Cuban and Caribbean Studies Institute.

The Cuban peoples' love affair with the United States is clearly front and center these days. But Lopez said progress on the island has been gradual because of Congress' embargo and travel ban there.

She expects that to change.

"That will not happen until Congress lifts the travel ban. I think there's going to be a lot of pressure next session for Congress to do so because Americans aren't good at being limited," said Lopez.

She said more Americans are wanting to travel to Cuba, but right now only 12 categories of travel are permitted.

Before the sanctions, trips between New Orleans and Cuba were common. Now local tourism officials are hoping to bring back that trend.

"Once the infrastructure is in place and people have opportunities for restaurants and hotels all the amenities that one desires, I think Cuba is going to be a great destination for people coming out of New Orleans," said Mark Romig with the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation.

Romig said better infrastructure and ironing out diplomatic relations are essential to re-establishing the close ties once held between the Crescent City and Cuba. If those things do happen, he predicts more flights, cruises and another Caribbean destination travelers can add to their bucket list.

"The Port of New Orleans has done a tremendous job in growing the cruise industry here. I can see down the road, cruise ships utilizing Cuba as a port of call," added Romig.

CBS News reports that the number of American visitors to Cuba is already up by 56 percent this year.

Source: CBS News (WWL 4)