How’s your business faring in the recovery?

HAVANA, July 15th The Cuban economy fell into a deep, dark hole in March — but it’s now climbing back towards the light: Arguably, Cuba has been the country in this hemisphere that most effectively battled the virus.

As of mid-July, only a few new cases of COVID-19 patients are trickling into hospitals on the island every day. Most of the country has entered Phase 2 of the first three phases of reopening this week.

Cuba’s international hotel operators are applying safety protocols learned in Asia and Europe, and the government is managing a – very limited and cautious – reopening to international tourism on the isolated keys off the north and south coast of the main island, and a few international visitors are now returning to these remote beaches.

To be sure, Cuba’s economic recovery depends as much, or more, on a global revival of pre-pandemic travel and production and consumption patterns. And — as we learned the hard way in the United States — the second wave of contagion could be upon Cuba in no time. In that sense, it is actually reassuring that officials have said the government is anticipating and preparing for the second wave in September or October.

The recovery will take months, if not years. But that arduous climb could get a major political boost soon: If current trends among U.S. voters hold until November, Joe Biden — the candidate who has said he will resume Barack Obama’s opening policies with Cuba — could move into the White House within half a year.

Of course, that recovery also depends on you and your business decisions.

So: If you do business in or with Cuba, or if you are following Cuba’s economy closely – please participate in our quarterly business confidence survey!

Reflecting the crisis, we included questions about how your business is affected by the Coronavirus crisis.
(https://www.cubastandard.com)