U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, Inc. New York, New York Telephone (917) 453-6726 • E-mail:
[email protected] Internet: http://www.cubatrade.org • Twitter: @CubaCouncil Facebook: www.facebook.com/uscubatradeandeconomiccouncil LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/u-s--cuba-trade-and-economic-council-inc- The Times-Picayune New Orleans, Louisiana 6 October 2016 Louisiana delegation talks cruise ships in Cuba, TV station reports Louisiana and Cuba are anxious to have a New Orleans-to-Havana cruise route if the U.S. relaxes its tourism restrictions on the country. (Port of New Orleans) By Julia O'Donoghue, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune The sought-after New Orleans-Cuba cruise route was a topic of discussion during Gov. John Bel Edwards' visit to the Caribbean country this week, according to a report from WAFB, a Baton Rouge television station traveling with the governor. On Wednesday (Oct. 5) Edwards visited the Port of Havana, which Cuba hopes to turn into a cruise ship hub if American restrictions on travel to the country are relaxed. Officials from the Port of New Orleans are traveling with the governor and see Cuba's interest in American cruises as an opportunity for local business. New Orleans would be a good place for cruise ships headed to Havana to dock -- and Cuba cruises could bring some more tourism dollars to south Louisiana, too, if they started at the city's port, according to New Orleans port officials. "We think people will be willing to come to New Orleans and take a cruise to Havana so that will in fact improve our cruise opportunities," Mike Landry, vice president of the Port of New Orleans, told WAFB in Cuba Wednesday.