Airbnb, which first began booking homestays and short-term rentals in Cuba a year ago, has now gotten permission to rent to anyone, not just U.S. residents. More than 4000 of Cuba's B-and-B-like 'casas particulares' are listed, the fastest-growing Airbnb market ever.
An amendment to its Treasury license (there's still an embargo, remember!) will allow it to start renting to the Canadians, Brits, Germans and others who are a huge part of Cuba's tourist trade, starting April 2.
In the year since it started booking Cuba, more than 13,000 Americans, from all 50 states, have rented in Cuba. Since many Europeans are regular Airbnb users, the market potential is big.
Up to now, payments to Cuban hosts have been made through Cuban intermediaries; it is not clear whether Airbnb will now be able to make direct payments.
Photo: Woman cleans windows of a Havana casa particular, identified by sideways H logo in window.
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