US Takes Steps to Make it Harder for Americans to Visit Cuba

Cuba Travel

FILE – In this June 17, 2017, file photo, a man takes a photo of a cruise ship in Havana harbor, Cuba. President Donald Trump announced a new policy in June that partially rolled back the recent diplomatic opening with Cuba. New regulations implementing that policy are being unveiled Wednesday. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is imposing travel and commerce restrictions on Cuba that will make it harder for Americans to visit the island nation.

New rules are coming out Wednesday that put in place President Donald Trump’s partial rollback of the Obama administration’s diplomatic opening with Cuba.

Americans wanting to visit Cuba will have to go as part of organized tour groups run by U.S. companies. A representative of the sponsoring group must accompany the travelers.

The Treasury Department is exempting trips booked before Trump announced his Cuba policy on June 16.

The State Department is also publishing a list of dozens of hotels, shops and other businesses that it says are linked to Cuba’s military. Americans are banned from doing business with them — making travel even more complicated.

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