Mariel ZED & Logistics Mission
Four days built around the Zona Especial de Desarrollo Mariel (ZED Mariel) — Cuba's flagship special economic zone and container port — for an investor weighing a logistics, manufacturing or distribution footprint, based in Havana with a day at the zone.
For: Logistics, manufacturing & distribution investors
1 · Budget first
A transparent, itemised estimate for 1 traveller · 4 nights · business tier. Every line is a planner range in USD — an estimate to budget with, not a quote.
| International airfare | $550 – $1,300 |
| Entry documents (tourist card) | $30 – $75 |
| Travel insurance | $40 – $150 |
| Accommodation | $380 – $780 |
| Local transportation | $370 – $730 |
| Food | $360 – $660 |
| Guides & activities | $160 – $480 |
| Connectivity | $15 – $55 |
| Tips | $20 – $80 |
| Water, laundry & sundries | $12 – $48 |
| Emergency reserve | $139 – $459 |
| Total (1 traveller) | $2,076 – $4,817 |
- Per traveller
- $2,076 – $4,817
- Per day
- $519 – $1,204
- Ground only (no airfare)
- $1,387 – $3,058
- Airfare est. / traveller
- $550 – $1,300
Basis: business hotel · business food · private driver · 4 guided days.
Adjust every number in the planner →Estimates in USD to help you budget — not observed prices, quotes or guaranteed availability. Most US cards don’t work in Cuba; carry cash and keep the reserve.
2 · Fly in
Madrid (MAD) → Havana (HAV) — José Martí International
Cuba's principal international gateway — the only truly diversified one, with links across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Example dates 2026-09-15 → 2026-09-19 (adjust on the live search). CubaAtlas books nothing — these open live results:
3 · Day by day
Where to sleep and dine each day is a real listing from the CubaAtlas provider dataset, nearest your base.
Morning
Land at José Martí; settle in Havana.Afternoon
Brief on Law 118 foreign-investment forms (JV, wholly-foreign, ANEI) and the ZED regime.Evening
Working dinner.Business step: Study the CubaAtlas ZED Mariel & foreign-investment sections.
StayHotel Blau Arenal Habana Beach4★ · Grupo Cubanacán · La Habana(53 7) 77991200/ 77991274Website ↗Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)DinnerCantabria, Restaurante Hotel Armadores de SantanderCimex · Internacional · La Habana(537)8628000Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)Open Havana on the map →Nearby: Viñales, Varadero, MatanzasMorning
Travel west to Mariel; the zone and container terminal context.Afternoon
Assess logistics, utilities and the incentive package on paper.Evening
Return to Havana; dinner.Business step: Request an orientation with the ZED Mariel office / ProCuba.
Morning
Meet foreign-investment counsel on structure and the negocios approval path.Afternoon
Explore state partner / comercializadora relationships.Evening
Dinner with an established foreign operator.Business step: Legal session on the MINCEX approval process.
StayHotel Blau Arenal Habana Beach4★ · Grupo Cubanacán · La Habana(53 7) 77991200/ 77991274Website ↗Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)DinnerCantabria, Restaurante Hotel Armadores de SantanderCimex · Internacional · La Habana(537)8628000Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)Open Havana on the map →Nearby: Viñales, Varadero, MatanzasMorning
Draft a term-sheet outline against the guide's checklist.Afternoon
Transfer to the airport.Evening
Flight out.Business step: Submit a CubaAtlas research request to close open items.
StayHotel Blau Arenal Habana Beach4★ · Grupo Cubanacán · La Habana(53 7) 77991200/ 77991274Website ↗Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)DinnerCantabria, Restaurante Hotel Armadores de SantanderCimex · Internacional · La Habana(537)8628000Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)Open Havana on the map →Nearby: Viñales, Varadero, Matanzas
4 · Visa, entry & customs
Every visitor needs a Cuban tourist card (tarjeta del turista) plus a passport valid for the stay and proof of onward travel and medical insurance. Buy the tourist card before you fly — the price and colour depend on your departure country and airline.
Nationals of Spain travel on the ordinary tourist card — no consular visa for a standard holiday stay.
5 · Shipping & commercial issues
Bringing goods, samples or equipment is a commercial import, not baggage: most inputs move through a Cuban state comercializadora, and a foreign business operates under a Law 118 form (joint venture, wholly-foreign enterprise, or international economic-association contract). Currency is a real constraint — plan around MLC/USD accounts.
Embargo / OFAC: the US embargo restricts what US persons and, in places, third parties can do with Cuba. Property transactions and many dealings carry sanctions exposure — this is orientation, not legal advice. Verify with counsel and the relevant ministry before committing.
Sectors in focus: Logistics & ports · Manufacturing · Renewable energy
Framing only. ZED Mariel incentives (tax, customs, foreign-investment terms under Law 118) are summarised from primary sources in the CubaAtlas guide; the ZED office and ProCuba are the authorities to confirm terms.
6 · Book direct, or compare an agency
This plan is costed to book direct — the $3,092 (expected) above is what the trip actually costs, itemised, with no package margin. A travel agency bundles flights, hotel and transfers into one price and adds a service fee for the convenience. We don’t quote agencies (we’d never invent a price) — so take a package quote and compare it line-for-line against the breakdown above.
Operating Spain agencies serving Cuba, if you prefer a package:
- Air Europa ↗
Scheduled Madrid–Havana.
Sells: flights
- Iberia ↗
Scheduled Madrid–Havana (~10h20 nonstop).
Sells: flights · 901 111 500
- Iberojet ↗
Own flights + Havana–Varadero packages (Ávoris/Barceló group).
Sells: flights, packages · 918 460 001
- Catai ↗
Premium tailor-made Cuba tours.
Sells: packages, tours · +34 914 091 125
- B the travel brand (Viajes Barceló) ↗
450 agencies; Havana–Varadero combined packages.
Sells: packages, flights, hotels · 913 277 760
- Viajes El Corte Inglés ↗
Dedicated “Viajes a Cuba” section across 6 destinations.
Sells: flights, packages, hotels · 91 33 00 732
CubaAtlas is non-commercial and takes no commission. Agency links go straight to the operator; we don’t book, broker or earn from them.
Every Cuba agency, compiled — with the free equivalent for each →Questions
- How much does the "Mariel ZED & Logistics Mission" trip cost?
- An estimated $2,076–$4,817 all-in for 1 traveller(s) over 4 nights ($3,092 per traveller expected), including airfare, lodging, food, transport and a reserve. It is a planner estimate, not a quote — you book each part direct, with no agency margin.
- Do I need a visa to travel to Cuba?
- Every visitor needs a Cuban tourist card plus a valid passport, onward travel and medical insurance — no consular visa for a standard holiday stay. See the CubaAtlas visa & entry guide.
- When is the best time for this trip?
- Best months: Year-round.
- Can I book this trip on CubaAtlas?
- No — CubaAtlas is a free, non-commercial planner. It gives you the itinerary, the budget, live flight-search links and real hotel and restaurant listings, and you arrange each part directly at the source. We book nothing and take no commission.