The United States took a major step on Tuesday toward ending one of the quirkiest holdovers from the Cold War era: the effective ban on travel by most US nationals to communist Cuba next door.

A group of US senators on Tuesday introduced legislation that would let most Americans travel to Cuba.

"We believe engagement with trade and travel is the best way to promote democracy" in Cuba, said Democrat Bryan Dorgan, one of the measure's sponsors.

For decades US citizens have been barred from spending money on the island, an effective travel ban.

Only journalists, people on educational or sports exchanges have been allowed to travel to Cuba — the only country in the Americas with a one-party communist regime.

Those Americans who do dare defy US sanctions regulations to give Cuba a go face major fines.

Time for a policy change

"We have been trying the same thing" for decades, said Republican Michael Enzi, a measure co-sponsor, "and our strategy has not worked. It is time for a different policy."

Washington imposed a full economic embargo, including travel restrictions, on Cuba in 1962 with the goal of crippling Fidel Castro's regime.

Experts have predicted scrapping travel restrictions could prompt a tidal wave of visitors from a country of 300 million just 144 kilometers away from Cuba, with an estimated one to five million Americans visiting each year.

Cuba, with more than 11 million people, recently has welcomed a total of more than two million tourists a year, mostly Europeans and Canadians.

But following the US senators' move, officials in Havana said they have made no special preparations for a possible influx of US tourists.

"We will continue with our working projections," said deputy tourism minister Maria Elena Lopez.

The politically influential Cuban-American community long opposed lifting the embargo measures, though younger Cuban-Americans are more open to changes.

Dorgan said he believed the "Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act" had enough support to be approved.

The Act is similar to legislation presented in early February in the House of Representatives.

Current US policy with Cuba "punishes Americans by prohibiting their right to travel" to the island, Dorgan said.

"This policy has done nothing to weaken the Castro regime. It's long past the time to change this ill-advised policy," he added.

A more 'rational' policy

The act is supported by several groups including the US Chamber of Commerce, the American Farm Bureau Federation, and Human Rights Watch.

"Lifting the ban on travel is a good first step toward a more rational policy" towards Cuba, said Myron Brilliant, a top official at the US Chamber of Commerce.

According to Brilliant, the United States currently loses some $1.2-billion a year due in potential trade with Cuba due to the embargo. The United States has had its comprehensive sanctions package in place since 1962.

Currently US companies can sell only food and medicine to Cuba, but with strict limitations.

Yet the senators that support lifting travel restrictions do not support fully lifting the embargo, said Democrat Christopher Dodd.

The announcement "is a welcome change of policy" from Washington towards Havana, said Jose Miguel Vivanco, the Americas director for Human Rights Watch.

Unlike most US nationals, Cuban-Americans however can visit relatives once a year, according to a provision in the 2009 budget that Congress approved on 10 March.

AFP

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