Meliá Hotels International will cease its last operations in Cuba on July 24, 2026. The Spanish hotel group will end its management, marketing and supply services in the establishments still operating on the island.
The withdrawal will be carried out by Ilha Bela Gestão e Turismo, the Portuguese subsidiary in charge of Meliá's Cuban operations. This information was communicated in a document submitted to the Spanish National Securities Market Commission ( CNMV).
The decision marks Meliá's complete exit from Cuba after a gradual reduction of its activities undertaken over the past few months.
Summary
Meliá will cease all operations in Cuba on July 24th
From July 24, 2026, Ilha Bela Gestão e Turismo will no longer provide services to hotels still operated by Meliá in Cuba.
The announced scope includes the termination of management and marketing contracts, the cessation of the use of the group's brands in the establishments concerned and the cessation of the activities of the local supply chain associated with these operations.
According to the specialized press, Meliá had already begun to reduce its presence in June 2026, notably by ending management agreements concluded with Gaviota, the Cuban public tourism group.
This is not simply a matter of reduced capacity or the temporary closure of certain hotels. The group is announcing the end of all its hotel operations in Cuba.
Operational, legal and financial difficulties
Meliá attributes its decision to persistent operational, legal, economic and financial difficulties.
The group states that current conditions no longer allow it to guarantee a minimum level of stability to continue its operations on the island. It also links this situation to the effects of US sanctions.
These are the reasons given by the company. The information available at this stage does not allow us to separately assess the weight of each factor in the final decision.
Meliá is now assessing the accounting implications of its withdrawal. The group must determine, in particular, whether exiting Cuba will result in an impairment of certain assets. Further details are expected when it publishes its first-half 2026 results.
34 hotels and more than 14,000 rooms by early 2026
When presenting its first quarter results, Meliá indicated that it still had a portfolio of 34 hotels in Cuba representing more than 14,000 rooms.
This figure corresponds to the portfolio declared at that time and not necessarily to the number of establishments still fully operational at the time of withdrawal. Several hotels had already closed or reduced their activities.
The group also indicated that it had reduced its operational capacity in the Cuban market by approximately 50%. This reduction preceded the announcement of the complete cessation of operations scheduled for July 24.
Meliá was also considering opening two additional establishments in Cuba in 2026. Their launch is no longer compatible with the announced withdrawal and should therefore no longer be considered confirmed.
A withdrawal after more than thirty years of presence
Meliá had been present in Cuba since the early 1990s. This presence had made the Spanish group one of the main international hotel operators active in the country.
The announced exit brings to an end more than three decades of hotel operations and management on the island. It concerns Meliá's activities, but does not automatically mean the permanent closure of the buildings involved.
The hotels are primarily owned by Cuban partners or affiliated entities. Some establishments may therefore continue to operate under a different brand or with a different management company. However, no comprehensive takeover has been confirmed in the available information.
What Meliá's withdrawal changes in concrete terms
For distributors, the first consequence concerns reservations for hotels marketed under the Meliá brands in Cuba after July 24, 2026.
Travel agencies and tour operators must verify the precise status of each establishment, the continuation of services, the identity of the future operator and any possible contract modifications.
The withdrawal of the brand does not necessarily mean that all stays will be cancelled. However, it may lead to a change of brand, management, service standards, or commercial terms.
Customers who have already booked should be informed based on confirmations provided by their travel agent, tour operator, or the hotel. General information regarding the cancellation by Meliá is insufficient to determine the individual status of each booking.
The Canadian aviation situation has also deteriorated
Meliá's decision comes amid a sharp reduction in accessibility to Cuba from Canada.
As of July 7, 2026, the Canadian government indicated that all Canadian airlines had suspended their services to Cuba until further notice. Flights operated by international airlines remained available, with a risk of reduction in the short term.
Canada's official advisory also recommends avoiding non-essential travel to Cuba due to worsening shortages of fuel, electricity, food, water and medicine.
The government states that these difficulties may affect hotels, land transport and the operation of certain tourist services.
The departure of other hotel groups has not been confirmed
Several articles mention a reassessment of the presence in Cuba by other international operators. At this stage, the information reviewed does not allow us to confirm that Iberostar, Blue Diamond Resorts, or Archipelago International have decided to withdraw completely from the country.
These groups should therefore not be presented as already following the same path as Meliá without a separate official announcement.
The verified fact remains the following: Meliá has announced the complete cessation of its own activities in Cuba as of July 24, 2026.
A situation to watch for tourism professionals
Meliá's withdrawal forces professionals to distinguish three situations: the end of the group's commercial presence, the possible continuation of hotel operations under another identity, and the processing of reservations already recorded.
The next expected information concerns the financial consequences for Meliá, the future of the establishments concerned and the solutions offered to customers who booked after July 24.
For agencies and tour operators, the priority is to check each file with the responsible supplier, without automatically concluding that there is a closure or cancellation.
Article updated on July 22, 2026 based on available information and official advice from the Canadian government.
Sources
- https://www.paxnouvelles.com/nouvelles/hotel-fr/melia-mettra-officiellement-fin-ses-activites-cuba-le-24-juillet
- https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/cuba
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