Cuban gold rush underway as Booking.com offers instant booking

Booking.com is set to will become the first online US travel brand to offer instantly bookable hotels for certain American travellers to Cuba.

Booking.com is set to will become the first online US travel brand to offer instantly bookable hotels for certain American travellers to Cuba.

The first properties will be ready to book in the coming weeks after months of work by the Priceline Group brand with Cuban authorities and local hotels.

The move follows the recent loosening of restrictions for US travel to Cuba.

It means the previously off-limits island will become instantly bookable for travellers that meet the criteria currently approved by the US government for travel to Cuba.

Properties will initially be available in Havana and consumers can book instantly and avoid the need to rely on a property owner to respond to and accept a travel request.

Plans are in place to increase the number of properties in Havana and other destinations in Cuba

Company managing director for the Americas, Todd Dunlap, said: “Cuba is a beautiful, culture-rich country that many travellers are keen to visit.

“With the news of the easing of US travel restrictions, we began working immediately with the Cuban government, tourism authorities and our local hotel partners to launch the first platform to allow travellers to book and confirm instantly with the click of a button.”