Cuba has been immersed in a severe economic and energy crisis for months, and tourism is one of the casualties. The fuel shortage that the island has been suffering for some time due to the United States' oil strangulation has led some airlines to cancel flights to Havana. This is the case of Iberia, which since this Monday no longer operates the route between Madrid and the Cuban capital. Now, the threat of sanctions also from the United States is added regarding foreign hotels that manage assets owned by Gaesa, the Cuban army's conglomerate. Pressure that has already led different hotel firms to withdraw from the island. This Wednesday, Meliá, the hotel chain of Mallorcan origin, announced that it was ceasing operations at 15 hotels on the island, while on Tuesday the Spanish firm Iberostar did the same with 12 of its 18 establishments. The decision of both means the partial withdrawal of the most important Spanish hotel chains in Cuba.

The arrival of capital in search of hotels in Barcelona does not stop. The restrictions of the pandemic have placed many establishments in a desperate situation and this is being taken advantage of by funds to hunt for assets at low prices. The latest establishment looking to sell is the Barcelona Apollo Hotel, operated by Meliá on Avinguda Paral·lel.