HAVANA (AP) — Spanish hotel chain Meliá has joined a growing list of companies with a long-standing presence in Cuba that are withdrawing or limiting their operations on the island after the U.S. announced new sanctions while upholding an oil embargo.
Meliá will cease operations at 15 of the 34 hotels it manages on the island, according to state website Cubadebate, dealing a blow to Cuba's vital tourism sector, which has plummeted since its 2018 peak.
The report on Wednesday stated that Meliá's decision was based on "a sense of corporate responsibility and external factors that have significantly affected the operation, legality and security of these establishments."
