World Travel Awards 2025: Cuba, Leading Cultural Destination in the Caribbean

Cuba’s excellence was recognized at this year’s World Travel Awards in the category of Leading Cultural Destination in the Caribbean 2025.

Competing with countries such as Barbados, Bermuda, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Trinidad, the island once again demonstrated to the world the reasons that have led it to win this recognition for five consecutive years since 2021.

A diverse and mixed national culture is part of the Cuban identity and the construction of nationality. More than five centuries of history have accumulated an unparalleled wealth of oral tradition and artistic expressions that, combined with symbols, representative figures, and diverse cultural spaces, make this much more than just one of the Caribbean’s dream islands.

Marked by diverse influences, Cuba boasts not only tobacco, coffee and rum, but also tangible and intangible heritage that attracts visitors through its essence, diversity and unique colors, as they discover the most authentic aspects of each destination, according to the submission to the prestigious international competition.

Since 2007, the island has also been nominated in categories such as the World’s Leading Cultural Destination, the Caribbean’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination, and the Caribbean’s Leading Dive Destination.

The best of Cuba at the 2025 World Travel Awards

The World Travel Awards were founded in 1993 to recognize, reward and celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industries. Its galas are considered key events in the travel calendar and are attended by the industry’s top decision-makers, influencers and media.

Recognized globally as the industry’s leading event, each year the event’s organizers travel the globe with their Grand Tour: a series of regional galas in which awards are presented to the best from each continent, culminating in the winners facing off in the Grand Final at the end of the year.

In the case of the Caribbean, in addition to awarding the island the Caribbean’s Leading Cultural Destination 2025 award, the best facilities from each of the competing nations were recognized in seven categories.

Cuba’s Leading Hotel 2025: Hotel Nacional de Cuba

This category recognizes a hotel’s national leadership by evaluating customer service, staff friendliness qnd overall guest satisfaction. It also takes into account the quality and variety of the hotel’s facilities, such as rooms, restaurants, recreational areas, spa and additional services.

Guest opinions about their stay, including cleanliness, comfort and overall experience, are equally valuable. The hotel’s location must be close to tourist attractions, transportation, and other amenities that enhance the visitor experience. The hotel must also have previous industry awards and certifications.

The Hotel Nacional de Cuba has won this award for 21 consecutive years, beginning in 2004.

Cuba’s Leading Business Hotel 2025: Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana

In the Cuba’s Leading Business Hotel 2025 category of the World Travel Awards, several key factors are typically considered to evaluate and select the winners. Some of these criteria include: quality of service, facilities, location, customer experience, innovation and sustainability and value for money.

These criteria are combined to determine which hotels stand out in the business world in Cuba, and the winners are chosen through a voting process that includes both industry professionals and travelers.

The Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana has won in this category consecutively for the past four years, since 2022.

Cuba’s Leading Destination Management Company 2025: Cuban Adventures

In the Leading Destination Management Company 2025 category of the World Travel Awards, evaluation criteria include customer service and overall customer satisfaction with the services offered; the company’s ability to provide information and services that reflect the culture and local characteristics of the destinations; and the range of services available, such as transportation, accommodation, tourism activities and event planning.

Also important for this award are the focus on creating unique and memorable experiences for travelers, the implementation of sustainable and responsible practices in destination management, and the quality of the relationships established with local suppliers.

Cuban Adventures creates memorable experiences that transcend conventional tourism in Cuba. Its tours are designed to empower the country’s local communities while collaborating with local accommodation and experience providers.

Cuba’s Leading Hotel Suite 2025: Suite Presidential Lorca @ Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana

Cuba’s Leading Hotel Suite 2025 was awarded to the Presidential Suite Lorca at the Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski Havana, which has won in this category consecutively for the past nine years, since 2017.

Cuba’s Leading Resort 2025: Meliá Cayo Coco

For the past 20 years, the Meliá Cayo Coco has been recognized as the best resort in Cuba. The attentive service of its staff, combined with the variety and quality of its facilities, including pools, restaurants, spas and recreational activities, make for the perfect winning combination.

It also boasts privileged proximity to beaches, tourist attractions and other amenities that elevate guest satisfaction, and offers recreational activities, water sports, excursions and nightly entertainment.

Cuba’s Leading Tour Operator 2025: Love Cuba

Tour operator Love Cuba was awarded in this category for the second time thanks to its ability to meet criteria and standards that ensure a high-quality experience for trtravelers.

Its exceptional service includes prompt and effective responses to travelers’ queries and issues, a well-trained staff, flexible itineraries tailored to customer preferences and needs, and unique experiences that go beyond standard offerings.

Love Cuba is the UK’s tailor-made Cuba travel specialist. Its team’s in-depth knowledge of Cuba is based on countless trips to the island, combined with years of experience creating unique tailor-made trips and a genuine love for the island.

Cuba’s Leading Travel Agency 2025: Travelnet Cuba

Travelnet Cuba is a travel services platform operating in Cuba, offering a variety of tourism-related products and services. It has positioned itself as a reliable option for tourists wishing to explore the island, offering a wide range of services that facilitate planning and the enjoyment of their trips.

It facilitates the booking of hotels, private homes, and other types of accommodation in various locations throughout the country; offers a variety of tours and excursions; provides transportation options, including car rentals and airport transfers; and has an online platform that allows users to search for and book travel services quickly and easily.

It has won this award for best travel agency consecutively since 2023.

Source: Sol de Cuba