OCTOBER 3 - OCTOBER 7, 2024
absolutely Cuba's Travel Agent Mastery SERIES:
Elevate Your Travel Business with Absolutely Cuba's Wellness-Focused FAM
Welcome to a world of wellness, relaxation, and cultural richness in the heart of Cuba. Join Absolutely Cuba’s Wellness-Focused Familiarization (FAM) trip and unlock new opportunities for your travel business. This immersive journey is designed to not only provide you with a memorable experience but also equip you with the knowledge and resources to excel in selling wellness-focused travel.
ABOUT OUR FOUNDER:
My name is Danielle Linares and I am the founder and owner of Absolutely Cuba, a travel concierge service for people traveling to the island of Cuba.
Over nearly a decade, through several short- and long-term visits to the island, I have immersed myself in all aspects of Cuban culture. At Absolutely Cuba we believe in imagining your itinerary through the lens of a local — not a tourist perspective.
We curate authentic, immersive, and memorable experiences that reflect the true essence of the island, through an Afro-Cuban lens.
The motivation behind my work is to inspire people to see beyond what’s possible for their lives, through lush travel experiences, like I had the first time I went to Cuba.
I have the travel pedigree and expertise to answer your questions and make sure that you have everything you need to make Cuba a profitable destination for your travel company. I use my insight, connections and insider knowledge about Cuba to show you the many travel possibilities for your clients looking to travel to the island.
A Wellness Retreat in the Heart of Cuba
Imagine starting your day with the soothing practice of meditation and yoga in the serene Cuban landscape. Feel the stress melt away as you connect with the inner tranquility that Cuba offers.
Experiences That Resonate with Your Clients
Why Absolutely Cuba’s TAM Program?
At Absolutely Cuba, we understand your clients’ desire for authentic, cultural, and incredible experiences. That’s why our wellness-focused FAM includes:
🌸 Morning Meditation & Yoga: Embrace serenity as you kickstart your day with revitalizing meditation and yoga sessions, set against the backdrop of Cuba’s breathtaking natural landscapes. Find inner peace, align your spirit, and awaken your senses in the heart of this vibrant island.
🏖 Hikes & Hidden Beaches: Discover secluded shores and pristine landscapes as you venture off the beaten path in Cuba. Immerse yourself in untouched beauty, capture timeless memories, and reconnect with nature on this unforgettable adventure.
🛍️ Private Shopping Experience: Celebrate Havana’s Women Entrepreneurs: Embark on exclusive shopping experiences that connect you with the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit of Havana’s women. Explore shops owned and operated by female visionaries, showcasing a curated selection of local treasures and creations.
👩🍳 Culinary Delights: Indulge in gourmet delights with a welcome dinner prepared by our private chef, including a custom mojito bar and a cigar roller. It’s a taste of the luxury your clients can expect.
💆🏻♀️ Masseuse-on-call: Experience personalized relaxation with our on-call masseuse, ready to melt away stress and rejuvenate your well-being at your convenience.
Hear What Our Agents Have to Say. Real Agents, Real Success
YOUR TRAVEL Package includes:
- Welcome dinner prepared by our private chef
- Daily morning meditation & yoga
- Specially-curated classic car tour
- Sunset cocktails with our personal mixologist
- Dinner in a Cuban home
- Private seafood cooking class
- Group photo shoot
- Hike to the Hidden Beaches Experience
- Half-day private shopping experience
- Beach day with a seaside lunch
- Sumptuous farewell dinner at sunset
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absolutely cuba’s Always INCLUSIONs:
- Round-trip airport transfers
- Breakfast daily
- Fully-staffed PREMIUM boutique hotel accommodations
- Tourist cards/visas
- Absolutely Cuba's EXCLUSIVE tours & experiences
- Single occupancy room, en suite bathroom
- All meal reservations
- Currency exchange
- English-speaking guides, casa staff and tour hosts
- Our in-destination management team, including your dedicated Absolutely Cuba concierge & photographer
- In-destination Destination Manager
We Understand Your Clients
Your clients want to feel seen, celebrated, and inspired. They seek expressive, authentic, and gorgeous experiences. They have a penchant for creativity, artistry, and innovation. We understand their desires and we show you how to sell travel that caters to them.
A High-Touch Approach
Your clients yearn for meaningful connections and appreciate a playful, sensory, and immersive approach to travel. Their lifestyle revolves around forging deeper bonds, experiencing meaningful relationships, and embracing personal connections. Our approach aligns with these desires, offering a high-touch and caring travel experience that resonates with your clients’ quest for enriching journeys.
EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE
Your clients are cultured travelers who value expertise. They seek well-prepared, enlightening journeys, appreciating informative guidance. Their travel style centers on cultural exploration and authenticity. Absolutely Cuba is the Cuba travel expert, offering trusted insights and enriching experiences. We’re dedicated to fulfilling your clients’ desire for attention to detail and truly curated travel experiences.
Empowering Your Travel Success: Exclusive Benefits for TAM Participants
🌟 Abundant Marketing Resources: Gain access to a wealth of marketing tools designed to make your Cuba ventures a resounding success. These resources include FAQs with answers to help you address client questions and objections seamlessly ($27 value), a comprehensive blueprint to captivate and engage clients eager to explore the island ($197 value), email sequences that can transform your Cuba launch into one of your most successful endeavors ($385 value), and a practical Packing & Prep List for your FAM Experience ($29 value).
📸 Exclusive Visual Assets: Access twenty high-resolution photos commissioned exclusively by Absolutely Cuba. These captivating images are yours to use for promoting your Cuba trips, making your marketing efforts visually stunning and compelling ($275 value).
📱 Strategic Social Media: Leverage our pre- and post-FAM social media strategy, tailor-made to excite and engage your clients. These strategies are sure to generate buzz and anticipation, driving enthusiasm for your Cuba offerings ($95 value).
🔍 Proven Legal Strategies: Master the art of crafting unshoppable, legal travel experiences to Cuba for your clients. We provide you with a proven strategy that ensures you can confidently offer this sought-after destination ($197 value).
🧳 Expert Guidance: Benefit from the hands-on expertise of Danielle Linares, a renowned speaker, travel coach, and Cuba travel expert ($1995 value). Her insights and support will be invaluable as you navigate the world of Cuba travel.
Incentives for Your Business
Every agent participating in Absolutely Cuba’s Wellness-Focused FAM receives:
💰 $2000 Booking Credit: Apply it towards the first group trip booked with Absolutely Cuba within six (6) months of the FAM conclusion.
💰 $250 Booking Credit Per Person: Use it for FITs booked with Absolutely Cuba within tweve (12) months of the FAM conclusion.
These exclusive benefits and incentives are tailor-made to empower you in seamlessly integrating Cuba into your travel portfolio and enhancing your client offerings.
Limited Space Available – Act Now!
accommodation details
Premium boutique hotel accommodations
Experience Cuba with Absolutely Cuba: Unveiling Your Luxurious Journey
At Absolutely Cuba, we’re renowned for our unwavering commitment to detail and the opulence we infuse into every facet of our itineraries. When you travel with us, it’s not just a trip; it’s an immersive EXPERIENCE.
Starting from the boutique accommodations we meticulously select for our clients, our aim is to reveal the endless possibilities of travel to Cuba through every unique experience we craft. Each property we secure for our clients boasts these exceptional features:
🏨 Prime Locations: Centrally-located in the heart of Old Havana, Centro Havana, or Vedado, our accommodations place you at the epicenter of Cuba’s vibrant culture and history.
🏛️ Timeless Colonial Charm: These properties seamlessly blend classic colonial architecture with modern comforts, preserving their historical allure while offering contemporary standards of luxury.
🌄 Serene Comfort: Enjoy beautifully appointed SINGLE OCCUPANCY rooms with queen and king-sized beds, ensuring a restful and rejuvenating stay. Revel in the convenience of EN SUITE bathrooms for your personal comfort.
🌟 Dedicated Staff: Our fully-staffed accommodations provide attentive service to cater to your every need, ensuring a seamless and delightful experience throughout your journey.
🧼 Impeccable Cleanliness: Your comfort and well-being are our top priorities. These accommodations are meticulously cleaned daily to maintain the highest standards of hygiene and comfort.
🔐 Private Haven: Experience true exclusivity with accommodations reserved solely for our guests, ensuring your privacy and tranquility.
🇺🇸 Legal for Americans: Rest assured that your stay with us is fully compliant with U.S. regulations, making it a hassle-free and legal experience for Americans visiting the island.
📷 Instagram-Worthy: Every corner of these accommodations is thoughtfully curated to be Instagram-worthy, allowing you to capture and share your unforgettable moments with friends and followers.
Pictured: Typical accommodations for tours arranged and executed by Absolutely Cuba
Your journey with Absolutely Cuba is more than just a vacation; it’s an opulent exploration of Cuba’s rich heritage and vibrant culture, carefully crafted to leave you with lasting memories.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This is easily the question we get asked most often…and the answer is a loud YES! Travel to Cuba is governed by 12 categories of travel established by OFAC. Travel by most travelers is covered by the category ‘Support of the Cuban People’ which mandates that itineraries of American travelers demonstrate a full-time schedule of meaningful engagement with the Cuban people. Every itinerary created by Absolutely Cuba is not only legally compliant, but we make sure that your time on the island is meaningful, engaging and entirely immersive and authentic.
Every person traveling to Cuba must purchase a tourist visa prior to arriving on the island. This visa can be purchased in advance of departure, via mail or at the airport. When you travel with Absolutely Cuba, we include your visa in your travel package.
Absolutely not! Several major carriers fly directly to Cuba from the United States. It’s never been easier to travel to this beautiful island.
In Havana, USD is accepted almost everywhere. More often than not, however, the change you get will be in CUP (Cuba’s national currency) at a rate decided by the location of purchase. Though you cannot exchange USD for CUP in the US prior to departure, once you arrive in Havana, Absolutely Cuba can arrange for our in destination concierge to help you exchange your USD at the best possible rate.
Credit cards issued by US-based banks cannot be used in Cuba.
Cuba is the safest island in the Caribbean and you can absolutely travel alone. However, as with any destination, exercising good travel sense and maintaining awareness of your surroundings is key to having a safe and enjoyable holiday.
Unfortunately, many parts of Cuba are not ADA friendly. Between the cobblestone streets and the ever-present disrepair, strolls when one has a mobility issue can be a challenge. Additionally, our tours do have a decent amount of walking and some of our accommodations require walking up stairs to enter. The best way to see if one of our trips is right for you is to email Absolutely Cuba at hola@absolutelycuba.com. We are more than happy to provide the information to help you decide if this trip is the right one for you.
Cuba is a year-round destination. It’s always a good time to travel to Cuba!
As your preferred partner for travel to Cuba, we are committed to creating travel experiences that WOW your clients at every turn. We work with our travel advisor partners to educate their clients while making selling travel to Cuba seamless and PROFITABLE.
Absolutely Cuba is a boutique travel concierge service for Americans traveling to Cuba. We curate authentic, immersive, and memorable experiences that reflect the true essence of the island through an Afro-Cuban lens.
We create and book custom FITs, group and familiarization trips (FAMs) to the island of Cuba for our travel advisor partners. Our gorgeous itineraries are expertly curated with your client in mind. We customize travel to fit the particular interests of each client so that they can experience Cuba exactly how they’ve always envisioned.
Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your travel business. Join Absolutely Cuba’s Travel Agent Mastery program and unlock the secrets of selling Cuba with a feminine touch. Act now to secure your spot, as space is limited.
Ready to embark on this transformative journey? Click the button below to reserve your spot and elevate your business today!
additional information
All bookings are accepted by Absolutely Cuba as agent for the travel Suppliers on your itinerary. Separate Supplier terms and conditions will apply to your booking and purchase of travel-related goods and services that you select, and you understand and agree to abide by the terms and conditions of purchase imposed by any Supplier on an itinerary you have approved. As a condition of booking, you must provide information requested by Absolutely Cuba along with your initial payment. Absolutely Cuba reserves the right to cancel your booking and all services and retain all related cancellation fees if your information is incomplete or inaccurate. Travel and payments are governed by Absolutely Cuba’s Terms & Conditions.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
• AIRFARE
• TRAVEL INSURANCE
• COVID TESTS, AS REQUIRED, FOR ENTRY & EXIT
• PRE- AND POST-STAYS
• MEALS NOT INDICATED
• TRANSPORTATION NOT INDICATED
• OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS
• ANY PERSONAL EXPENSES
BILLING:
Once your deposit has been made you can relax knowing that your future payments will be made automatically. We have set up a convenient payment plan that has evenly divided the cost of the trip over the next five months. Your initial deposit is due at the time of booking, and your future payments will be charged according to the schedule you see on your invoice. This is a service we provide for your convenience and at no extra cost to you.
TRAVEL INSURANCE:
The unexpected is always a possibility. Losing money due to a cancelled vacation doesn’t have to be. We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance for your travels. We cannot stress this enough.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
Travel documents, itineraries and travel instructions will be sent via email 30 days or earlier prior to travel.
CHANGE OF INFORMATION
Every guest is responsible for notifying Absolutely Cuba of any changes to their information, including but not limited to phone number, address and/or email address. Absolutely Cuba will not be held liable for client’s failure to receive information or notification due to faulty or missing information.
You MUST purchase your own flight to Jose Marti International Airport in Havana no later than November 15, 2022. The airport code for Havana is HAV. Our accommodations are 30 minutes from the airport.
Once your flight has been purchased, ENTER YOUR FLIGHT INFORMATION HERE. This will ensure a smooth transfer from the airport to your casa accommodations.
ARRIVAL TO CUBA
Please be mindful of your arrival time to Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. Those arriving prior to 4 p.m. on October 5, 2023 will be entitled to pick-up and transfer from the airport.
MISCELLANEOUS
Not all parts of Cuba will afford you the familiar standards of Western culture, i.e., air conditioning, wifi or cultural norms. Especially in Cuba, a country like no other, this is part of the experience.
There will be parts of your trip where you will be “unplugged” and without access to technology. This is not a “lay on the beach” trip, but you will have the opportunity for leisure, allowing you to immerse yourself in the culture of Cuba, as it comes to you.
ENTRY TO CUBA
Beginning November 15, 2021, REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS, the testing mandate has been removed. Effective April 6 2022, the vaccine mandate to enter has been removed. You may still be given a PCR test on arrival in Cuba.
All travelers are required to complete a Health Declaration (Declaracíon Jurada de Sanidad) online before travel.
From December 1, 2020, all air tickets will have a sanitary fee of $30 included to cover the cost of various provisions associated with health and safety on the island.
Every traveler traveling with Absolutely Cuba is required to purchase Cuban health insurance. Cuban health insurance is not included in your package. Cost: approximately $30USD.
SCREENING AND QUARANTINE
At the discretion of the Cuban government, arriving tourists may be given a PCR test on arrival and may be subject to quarantine. Any costs related to additional testing and/or quarantine will be paid at the traveler’s expense.
If you are selected for testing and your first PCR test is positive, you will be transported to a state-run hospital or medical center. Arrangements will be made by the Ministry of Public Health.
Once discharged, the costs of the hospital or clinic stay are paid by you in cash. The cost of a hospital stay is roughly estimated at $300USD per day.
CUBA: FOR YOUR INFORMATION
OFAC COMPLIANCE
All itineraries created and executed by Destination by Danielle d/b/a Absolutely Cuba (“Absolutely Cuba”) are compliant with OFAC regulations. Our itineraries provide a a full-time schedule of experiences focused on meaningful engagement with the Cuban people.All U.S. Citizens must travel under one of 12 authorized categories. Your trip falls under the category “Support of the Cuban People”. PLEASE NOTE: By law, you are required to keep your itinerary on file for five (5) years.
PASSPORT VALIDITY
Your passport must be valid for at least SIX (6) months after your departure date from Cuba. Please be sure to verify your passport’s validity. Refunds will not be issued due to inability to travel.
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
Some electrical items with heavy power consumption may be confiscated on entry to Cuba. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are also subject to import requirements and may be confiscated. Confiscated items are normally returned on departure.Mobile telephones, tablets and laptops can be taken to Cuba, but any inbuilt GPS should be disconnected or disabled. For more information on Cuban customs regulations, including a list of prohibited and regulated items, visit the Cuban Customs Administration website.Cuban regulations allow a maximum of two pieces of checked in luggage per person, each to a maximum weight of 32kgs. Passengers should confirm their luggage allowance, which may be more restrictive than this, and excess baggage charges with their airline.
RELEVANT LINKS:
ABSOLUTELY CUBA TERMS & CONDITIONS