Air Canada has announced the suspension of its service to Cuba following the Cuban government's declaration that aviation fuel would be unavailable at airports from Tuesday. This decision comes amid a growing fuel and energy crisis in Cuba, worsened by the ongoing American oil blockade. The suspension could have significant implications for the Canadian tourism sector, which plays a crucial role in Cuba's economy, especially as Canada remains the second-largest source of direct investment in the island, particularly in mining and tourism sectors that have struggled to recover from pandemic impacts.

The Canadian government has acknowledged that the tourism sector is vital for Cuba's recovery, emphasizing the importance of its citizens' travel to the island. With Air Canada's decision to halt services, they are also planning to send empty flights to Cuba in the coming days to repatriate approximately 3,000 customers stranded there. This crisis not only affects the travelers but also puts additional pressure on Cuba's fragile economy, which has been battling against the effects of the US embargo and the aftermath of the pandemic.

Furthermore, other airlines such as Air Transat and WestJet/Sunwing have expressed their intentions to manage the situation, indicating that they are closely monitoring fuel availability as they assess their flight operations to Cuba. The combination of a fuel shortage and the dependence of the Cuban economy on tourism creates a problematic situation, suggesting that if the crisis continues, it could lead to broader economic repercussions for the island and its tourism market, which is slowly attempting to recover from recent downturns.