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What Trump’s Policy Changes Mean for Future Travel to Cuba

By U.S. News & World Report

If you’ve been planning to visit Cuba ever since former President Barack Obama lifted travel restrictions to the Caribbean island nation in March 2016, you might need to pivot your vacation plans. On June 16, President Donald Trump announced a new policy that would ban American tourists from self-directed journeys, defined as “people-to-people educational trips” that operate outside of an organized tour group.

[See: 9 Common Travel Snafus to Dodge This Summer.]

There are no immediate implications for American visitors, but the framework for the new Cuba travel rules, which will be developed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Controls, is expected to be announced in the coming months. “Right now, everything is the same as before, but that could change once OFAC publishes its revised regulations,” says Deanna Ting, hospitality editor at travel media company Skift.

While the long-term policy implications are still shaking out, prospective American visitors are already facing a flurry of questions: Can I still travel to Cuba legally? What steps will I need to take to plan a future trip to Cuba? Will there be more stringent limitations for commercial flights there? Where can I find approved accommodations? And how will the tightened regulations be enforced?

To help you stay prepared for the upcoming changes, U.S. News gathered intel from travel experts. Here’s a primer on potential policy shifts — and how they might impact you in the not-so-distant future.

You Will Need to Travel With a Licensed Organization

“The good news is that all 12 categories of travel, including people-to-people travel, are permitted; the embassies in both Havana and Washington, D.C., will remain open; and Cuba has not been placed back on the list of state sponsors of terror,” says Tom Popper, president of InsightCuba, a nonprofit organization that works with the U.S. Department of Treasury and offers legal tours to Cuba. Other authorized categories for travel to Cuba include religious activities, journalistic activity, athletic competitions and humanitarian projects.

Still, under the new rules, Americans will be required to travel with an authorized organization on people-to-people educational trips. To plan a trip to Cuba legally, Americans will need to travel with a licensed organization that meets OFAC’s requirements. Additionally, the eligibility for each group could become more narrowly defined, explains John Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, a New York-based nonprofit. President Trump “could choose to be constrictive and define narrowly who is eligible within each of those categories,” he says, pointing to restrictions on what entities U.S. travelers can patronize such as Cuban military-operated hotels, restaurants and businesses.

While the policy changes will negatively impact individuals looking to travel on their own, small group tours will be unaffected. “We’re excited by the fact that the program we have created really does check all of the boxes that have been put forward by the Trump administration,” says Gavin Tollman, CEO of tour operator Trafalgar, adding that on the company’s small group tours, visitors can interact with locals and enjoy culturally immersive activities.

While tightened restrictions are underway, “the beauty of Cuba doesn’t change,” he adds. “Tourism is and will remain one of the most impactful ways to drive economies,” he says. “I would imagine that tourism will be one of the key catalysts to make sure more and more travelers understand the world we live in,” he adds. Rather than building walls, we can break down barriers through travel, he adds.

Already Booked? You Can Still Visit Cuba Legally

If you’ve booked accommodations or flights to Cuba, regardless if it’s a personal educational trip, you may proceed with your plans. No matter whether the travel is scheduled before or after the new rules are unveiled by OFAC, they will be approved “as long as those transactions are consistent with the Obama administration’s approved Cuba travel regulations as of June 16 [2017],” Ting explains. “If you are planning a trip to Cuba right now, and haven’t yet purchased your flight or booked a place to stay, I’d say you should proceed with caution,” she adds.

[Read: 9 Things to Know to Improve Your Safety When Traveling Overseas.]

Cruise Lines and Commercial Air Carriers Will Continue Trips to Cuba

Unlike other sectors of the tourism industry, “cruise lines will benefit from the reversal,” Kavulich says. Since cruise lines (and licensed small tour operators) offer approved cultural exchange tours, they can operate as they do now. “And cruise lines could make the argument that it’s easier for Americans to travel to Cuba by traveling with them since cruise passengers don’t have to book any hotels; they just sleep on the ship,” Ting adds.

Another silver lining: “Nothing will change for airlines or consumers regarding the booking of air travel to Cuba,” Ting says. But on the other hand, if interest in visiting Cuba wanes in light of the changes, “the airlines may cut capacity even more so than they already have done,” she says. Currently, major carriers such as American Airlines and JetBlue Airways offer easily accessible and cost-effective routes to Cuba.

Some Accommodations Will Be Off-Limits

Under the new restrictions, U.S. citizens will also be unable to stay in accommodations operated by the Cuban military, which controls much of Cuba’s hotels, restaurants and tourism operation. “And presumably, they can’t spend any money with those hotels, or in state-owned restaurants or other businesses, either, which is extremely hard to do in a country like Cuba, where almost everything is state-owned,” Ting adds. (More on that in a moment.) Instead, Americans will need to find civilian-operated hotels. American travelers will be able to stay in private houses (called a casas particulares) or an Airbnb.

“Any U.S. hotel company looking to do business in Cuba would find it extremely difficult without entering into a deal with GEASA [Cuba’s Grupo de Administración Empresarial SA], and that’s now prohibited under Trump’s policy,” Ting explains. While Marriott International‘s Four Points by Sheraton property is currently open in Havana, other properties that were reported to debut as part of the Marriott portfolio, including the Hotel Inglaterra and the Hotel Santa Isabel, have delayed their scheduled openings over concerns with a provision in the Trump administration’s policy that restricts businesses from entering deals with the Cuban military. “While OFAC said that deals in place with military entities prior to the new regulations might be permitted on a case-by-case basis, the future of Marriott’s two planned Luxury Collection properties is still an open question at the moment, as is its current Four Points by Sheraton,” she explains.

You Will Need to Be Mindful About Where You Go and Where You Spend

“If [the categories are] expansively interpreted, it could put the area of all of Havana off-limits,” Kavulich says. And with the government managing hotels, retailers and ground transportation, there will be increasing challenges for travelers. They will need to be careful about where they eat, where they buy rum and all activity in Cuba, he adds.

[See: 9 Ways to Travel Better.]

Another challenging component of the new policy: enforcement. “How are travelers going to be expected to know what’s a state-run business or not? Essentially, Americans traveling to Cuba under the new regulations will have to be very mindful of where they’re spending their money, and definitely hold onto any receipts.” While the Treasury and Commerce departments will oversee the restrictions and law pertaining to travel to Cuba, the enforcement methods and rules are still unknown.

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What Trump’s Policy Changes Mean for Future Travel to Cuba originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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