Expedia and Hotelbeds fined for violating Cuba embargo
Expedia has paid more than $325,000 for violating the Cuba embargo dating back to before travel restrictions were originally eased by the Obama administration.
The company ‘failed to exercise a minimal degree of caution’ to avoid breaching anti-Cuba sanctions, a U.S. Department of the Treasury report said.
It said that between April 2011 and October 2014, Expedia facilitated travel for more than 2,000 people to travel to Cuba from a third country, including for Cuban nationals. It related mostly to Expedia subsidiaries.
The Treasury Department said that after acquiring a foreign travel company, Expedia did not tell the firm for 15 months that it was subject to US laws.
It acknowleged that Expedia itself disclosed the violations when it became aware and took measures to beef up its compliancy of US economic sanctions.
The Treasury also handed down fines to the US division of Hotelbeds Group, which agreed to pay a $222,705 settlement, and Cubasphere Inc. which settled for $40,320.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025