American Airbnb users now permitted use the service in Cuba
Airbnb has opened up it site to US visitors to Cuba, according to a report by The Washington Post.
Beginning today, Americans who obtain special permission from the US government can take advantage of Cuban rentals.
This is just one of many travel companies rushing to facilitate travel between the two countries, after President Obama loosened the travel ban to Cuba.
“The shared housing model already existed in Cuba,” Dan Restrepo, a former advisor to Obama who helped Airbnb with its Cuban expansion told The Post. “Because the model existed, Airbnb can go work directly with Cubans and with much less interaction with the Cuban government.”
While the expansion itself was relatively simple, Airbnb still faces some obstacles. Many Cubans still don’t use credit cards, so the service is working with local companies to find a way to pay homeowners directly with cash.