Jineteros – Cubans Making Their Living Through Commissions

Jineteros are a Cuban name for someone we would refer to as “hustler”. They are basically locals who can recognize tourists immediately; they approach tourists and enquire about what service or product that tourist could be interested in. Whether you as a tourist need a casa particular, a taxi, or need to be recommended a restaurant or where the best place to dive is – Jineteros have the answer.

They are familiar with all services offered by available providers and whatever it is you as a tourist to Cuba may be interested in, they will deliver you there – simply because you will end up paying that company and Jineteros will get the commission.

This is nothing unusual. It’s totally normal and 99% of all money spent in Cuba by tourists is through someone’s referral. You may not know about it, but those people will get their commission for “recommending” something that could be of interest to you. By “recommending” it to you, what they actually do is bring business to that company. That earns them commission.

Somebody Always Ends Up Getting Commission

Even taxi drivers get their commission if they take you to a particular restaurant. Casa Particular owner who recommended you a casa in another town will his/her commission paid for that too. The commission system works like clockwork in Cuba whether you realize it or not.

You Don’t Have To Look For It, It Will Find You

An obvious advantage to such deep commission system is that you don’t have to look for anything – it will find you. Whatever it is you may happen to need, you virtually don’t have to do anything about it – it will find you. You come to a new town, before you start looking for a casa particular, someone will approach you and ask you if you needed a casa to stay overnight.

If you have accommodation lined up already, they’re gonna ask if there is anything else you might need. Most tourists do. Nobody knows the area better than locals and being a tourist, you don’t know where to go. It’s natural to ask. Each time you go to a new town, you’re going there for a particular purpose. Maybe you want to visit a beach or you’ve heard they sell great cigar there. Jibeneros have all the answers for you – simply because they’re gonna earn commission from an actual provider they take you too.

It works pretty well. You as a tourist will never be left stranded with a “deer in a headlight” kind of stare on your face unsure what to do next. Someone will be right there willing to help you. Providers are happy, cause they got the business and Jibeneros are happy cause they got their commission. Everyone wins.

Also Check Out:

• Havana – Complete Guide
• Illegal Casas Particulares
• Will Travel to Cuba and Cuban Visa Cause Problems in the USA?
• Car Insurance for Car Rentals in Cuba – How it Works
• Casa Particular Cuba – Complete Guide
• US Citizens Visiting Cuba – What’s the Catch for Americans
• Types of Casas Particulares Explained
• Cuba Hurricane Season Information
• CUC – Cuban Convertible Peso
• Casa Particular vs Hotel – Advantages Explained

Remember – it is always your responsibility to ensure that you have everything you need to enter the country. This list of entry requirements to Cuba is a guide to help you make sure you are not missing anything. The entry requirements are subject to change anytime without notice. Always double check with Cuban embassy for most up to date requirements.

Also remember – regardless of which country you are travelling to, it is always the prerogative of that particular country to determine who is granted entry and who is not. Entry requirements vary from one country to another. Let’s take a look at entry requirements for Cuba. Here’s the list of what you need to get in:

Passport

It’s the most important and the only official and widely recognized travel document. Certificate of citizenship is not a travel document. When it comes to Cuba in particular, passport is absolutely mandatory. Every tourist MUST have a passport and your passport must be valid for at least one month beyond your intended departure from Cuba.

Tourist Card

As per Cuban government requirements, every foreigner travelling to Cuba must have valid visa. If you’re travelling to Cuba as a tourist, the Tourist Card will be your visa. Canadians tourists get the Tourist Card form their tour operator and it is included in price of the ticket.

If you’re visiting Cuba on a privately organized flight, or if you’re departing from country other than Canada, consult closes Cuban government office to purchase the Tourist Card from them. Some airports and travel agents sell Tourist Cards as well so it is possible to obtain one form them. The cost varies based on the region, but expect to pay an average of $30.

Note – Tourist Card only allows entry for tourists. It is illegal to engage in business activities when travelling on a Tourist Card. Business, Persona and Student visa are available for persons looking to undertake respective activities. Read more about it below:

Visa

Unless you’re visiting Cuba as a tourist, you will need to apply for visa with Cuban government office in your country of residence. Travellers who are intending to stay at a private residence in Cuba may need Personal Visa. Travellers who are intending to do business in Cuba, may need Business Visa. If you’re looking to study in Cuba, you will need Student Visa.

Unlike the Tourist Card, Visa gives you further privileges while in Cuba, but must be applied for. It is again sole prerogative of Cuban government to decide is issued visa and who is declined.

Return Air Ticket

Most tourists travelling to Cuba had purchased an all inclusive holiday. That includes a return air ticket, an accommodation and provision of food and drink for the duration of your vacation. If you had purchased an all inclusive vacation, you will likely travel on a flight carrier owned by your tour operator and they will provide you will sufficient documents to prove that you have an all inclusive vacation in Cuba paid for. In this case you may not need to prove anything further to the customs officials.

If you hadn’t purchased an all inclusive vacation, it is advisable to have a return air ticket upon entry to Cuba to avoid possible problems.

Sufficient Funds

If you’re an “air-only” traveller to Cuba, customs officials may also require you to provide evidence of sufficient funds for the duration of your stay in Cuba. That means that you must have an equivalent of at least CUC$ 50 per day of your stay.

Travellers with Children

If you’re travelling with children, you may be required to provide evidence of parental/custodial rights. If you are not the parent or legal guardian of a child you’re travelling with, the authorities (on both sides of border) may require you to provide evidence that child’s parents or legal guardians consented to child’s travel with you.

Any underage children travelling to Cuba without parents may need special letter of consent. It is absolutely essential to contact the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in your country prior to departure to make sure you are familiar with specific requirements for this type of travel.

ONCE AGAIN: I am Canadian and I know the above listed entry requirements are applicable to bearers of Canadian passport. I am not familiar with bilateral agreements between Cuba and other countries of the world. You should always check with the foreign affairs office of your country to get yourself familiar with specific requirements relevant to your country to ensure you have what you need to get to Cuba without problems.

Related Posts

• US Citizens Visiting Cuba – What’s the Catch for Americans
• Car Insurance for Car Rentals in Cuba – How it Works
• CUP – Cuban Peso
• CUC – Cuban Convertible Peso
• Casa Particular License – How Much Do Cubans Pay?
• Casa Particular Price Guide – How Much Do Casas Cost?
• Entry Requirements – Is Casa Particular Reservation Good Enough?
• Casa Particular vs Hotel – Advantages Explained
• Tipping in Havana
• Havana Price Guide

Canada-Cuba Trade FAQ

What’s the trade volume between Cuba and Canada?
Trade between Cuba and Canada totals about $1 billion.

Is Canada Cuba’s biggest export partner?
No. Canada is Cuba’s second biggest export partner. In 2006, 24% of Cuban exports went to Netherlands, 22% went to Canada. In 2007, China became Cuba’s largest export partner with 27.9%, Canada being second with 27.3%. Exports to the Netherlands fell to 11.3%.

Who are Cuba’s biggest import partners?
In 2006, Canada ranked fifth in exports to Cuba, after Spain, Venezuela, USA and China. In 2007, Canada’s become Cuba’s fourth largest import partner, behind Venezuela, China and Spain.

What are Cuba’s main export commodities?
Cigars are the most obvious, but Cuba also exports sugar, nickel, fish, pharmaceutical products, citrus and coffee.

What are Cuba’s main import commodities?
Oil, food, machinery, equipment and chemicals.

Does Cuba have its own oil reserves?
Yes, Cuba does have its own oil reserves just off the north coast and has been producing oil. Thanks to investments form Canada and Spain, large pockets of quality crude oil and natural gas have been found near Havana’s coast. More foreign investments from China, India and Norway have been pouring in following the discovery of oil reserves which is rumored to be as large as all US oil reserves.

Which Canadian companies trade with Cuba the most?
Several Canadian companies operate directly in Cuba, including Pizza Nova and Labatt. Toronto based natural resource company Sherritt International Corp. is a largest single foreign investor in Cuba operating a nickel and cobalt facility along with Cuban Cubaniquel.

What is Cuba’s Gross Domestic Product?
It was $45.5 billion in 2007 (according to CIA fact book)

Is tourism an important part of Cuba’s economy?
Tourism is Cuba’s largest source of foreign exchange and one of the main drives of island’s economy.

Where do the most tourists come from?
Canada. We’re Cuba’s largest source of tourism revenue. That’s why they like us there and as Canadians, we get a tourist card that’s good for 90 days, unlike other nations that get to stay for 30 days only (it’s possibly to extend). Canadians also have the tourist card included in the price of plane ticket. Other travellers must purchase the card.

Can I use Canadian dollars in Cuba?
It’s bets to bring Canadian dollars with you and exchange them at the airport for Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC). CUC is a traveller’s currency. Locals uses CUP – regular peso, which is worth less than CUP. As a visitor to Cuba, you will be dealing with CUC only.

Can I use US dollars in Cuba?
Not anymore. Circulation of US currency in Cuba ended in 2004 as reaction to straighter sanctions by the US against Cuba. It is possible to exchange US dollars for CUC, but 10% interest will be applied to the exchange rate. Best leave those greenbacks at home when travelling to Cuba.

Related Posts

• Cuba Questions? We Got Answers
• CUP – Cuban Peso
• Tipping in Havana
• Havana Price Guide
• CUC – Cuban Convertible Peso
• Casa Particular License – How Much Do Cubans Pay?
• Casa Particular Price Guide – How Much Do Casas Cost?
• Casa Particular vs Hotel – Advantages Explained
• Havana Transport Options
• Getting to Havana via Varadero = Cheaper

Get Your Cuba Questions Answered Here, Illustration Photo from Cuba by Natalia Gustafson, Flickr

Frequently Asked Questions about Cuba

Question 1: How hot is Cuba?
Answer: It’s hot. I took a pair of long denim jeans and couple of long sleeve shirts. I haven’t used any of them once, just ended up carrying this extra load in my luggage needlessly.

Make sure you have a full bottle of waterproof sun block number 30. Do not rely on buying one in Cuba. It’s either not available or really expensive.

Question 2: I’ve heard people often take dollar store trinkets or chewing gums with them to Cuba. What is it for?
Answer: Children of Cuba really appreciate being given anything by tourists and considering that a lot of stuff is too expensive or not available for locals, something as trivial as a chewing gum can mean the world to them.

Question 3: Do Cubans speak English?
Answer: No, they don’t. Spanish is the official language in Cuba and most people don’t speak any language other than Spanish. If you do speak Spanish, you’ll have no problem getting around. Locals in most tourist areas speak some English – sometimes better, sometime you’ll need extra imagination to understand them. Bringing a Spanish to English/English to Spanish dictionary with you to Cuba can easily prove handy.

Question 4: Is water safe to drink and food safe to eat in Cuba?
Answer: As a traveller, vacationer, tourist, adventurer or whatever you consider yourself to be, you should always play it safe when taking a trip abroad. Whether it’s to Cuba or elsewhere. There are certain rules of thumb you should stick to in order to avoid unnecessary traveller’s diarrhea or worse (hepatitis A). Things to remember:

• Don’t eat raw food
• Drink only bottled water
• Peel your fruit yourself
• Make sure meals are thoroughly cooked
• Don’t use ice cubes

Capital health Canada has a great saying that they promote for all travellers to exercise: Cook It! Peel It! Or Leave It! This applies to any travel abroad and it is the safest and most bullet proof method to avoid sickness while on vacation.

The physician at the traveller’s health clinic in your area can prescribe you antibiotics that you can take on vacation with you should you eat or drink something that would make you sick. I took Cirpofloxacin with me to Cuba. It’s used to treat bacterial infections, including severe traveller’s diarrhea. I never got sick, but it helped knowing that my trip would go without major problems should I get infected.

I would also recommend that you take a dose of Medicinal Charcoal with you. Cuba is full of quality doctors and you can easily find them at most hotels, but being able to look after yourself is invaluable.

Question 5: What type of money should I take with me to Cuba?
Answer: Canadian dollars are the best. Don’t take any high face value bills. $20 max. You can exchange them for CUC (Cuban Convertible Pesos) at the airport or at the hotel.

Question 6: Can I use US dollars in Cuba?
Answer: No. US currency is not accepted in Cuba anymore. Some places will exchange it, but you will be charged an interest of at least 10%

Question 7: Can I use my credit card in Cuba?
Answer: Yes, most tourist places accept credit cards. Hotels, car rentals, restaurants, etc will accept Visa and Mastercard. Credit cards issued by American banks are not accepted. Make sure you are using Canadian issued credit cards.

Question 8: Can I pay with my debit card in Cuba?
Answer: Good luck finding an Interact machine in Cuba. Bring cash with you, don’t expect to be able to withdraw any money anywhere in Cuba. Some places accept it as method of payment. I’ve never tried it hence I can report on what extra charges are involved. I’m pretty sure TD Canada trust (my bank) would be more than happy to throw some fees exchange rates on me for payment in a foreign country.

Question 9: Are there banks in Cuba?
Answer: Yes, Cuban banks are air conditioned but service is as slow as in Canada. At least if you are a client of TD Bank. Actually no, Cuban lines and waiting times are quite bad.

Question 10: Should I tip in Cuba?
Answer: Yes. Do not tip Cubans with Canadian dollars. Leave Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC). Most Cubans can not or have rather hard time exchanging foreign currencies so you wouldn’t be helping them much with tips in Canadian dollars (or other foreign currency).

Question 11: How much to tip?
Answer: Remember Question #2? You can often use those small items you brought over as a tip (to your maid for example). 1 CUC per day is a fair and appreciated tip to anyone in Cuba. Most Cubans don’t make more than 200 – 400 CUC a year. Yes, I had said “a year”. 1 Peso will make a lot of difference to them and it is usually more than enough as a tip. Once again – do not tip in US or Canadian dollars. They will have hard time converting it into their pesos. Plus it’s just plain weird anyway. Imagine you work as a bartender and tourists from Russia you have been serving all night leave you a tip in Russian Rubles. Don’t tip in foreign currency, end of story.

Question 12: Can I tip with items, instead of with money?
Answer: Yes and it is often better. Many items are either hard to come by in Cuba or are too expensive for locals to afford. Such simple things as calendars are so common in Canada, we keep getting them for free so much, nobody wants them. You always get one from a real estate agent in your area, a car mechanic in your area, an accountant in your area, etc. Soon enough it gets overwhelming and you got more calendars than you have room on the walls. Oddly enough, calendars are a hard to find commodity in Cuba.

Small items, such as (unused) toothpaste, toothbrush, hair brush, bottle of shampoo, pen, etc. will do just fine and will work well as a tip.

If you can leave a piece of clothing, it will definitely be highly appreciated and your room will be shiny clean. Do not leave any recognizable brands, such as Nike as I’ve seen Cubans getting in troubles with the police and having these items confiscated. Having a giant Nike sign on a t-shirt automatically marks that t-shirt as something a Cuban could not possibly buy. Because tourism is a major economy horse in Cuba, Cuban government wants to make sure locals do not bug tourists. Seeing a Cuban with a Nike tee would suggest they had bugged a tourist.

Question 13: Why are there two currencies in Cuba?
Answer: After the fall of communism in Easter Europe and split of Russia, the support and flow of money from Russia was stopped and Cuba was facing major economy crisis. The USA hardened its sanctions against Cuba which made it even harder. Fidel Castro made the best thing he could to save his country – introduced special currency for use by tourist while retaining the original currency for use by native Cubans.

In other words, Cuban Convertible Pesos (tourist currency) is a way to rip tourists off. Because of that, you will end up paying a lot, often times more than you would in other Caribbean countries. So yes, it’s a tourist rip off, but it’s understandable, otherwise Cuba would crash. If you’re an adventurer and wander off beaten tourist path, you may get to areas that are not used by tourists and you’ll get to meet real Cubans. You’ll see the real hospitality and friendliness of island’s natives and you will eat in restaurants where a meal will cost 1 CUP (Cuban Peso). The same meal in tourist areas will cost you 5 CUC (convertible Cuban Peso).

1 CUC = 25 CUP

Question 14: Where can I buy Cuban Currency?
Answer: You can’t buy it abroad. Take enough Canadian cash with you and buy all CUC you need at the airport or at your hotel.

Question 15: Is Cuba safe?
Answer: Cuba is very safe. Even female solo travellers can wander the streets safely at night. However some common sense and reasonable precautions should be taken regardless:

• Do not wear expensive jewelry
• Hold on to your purse tightly in crowded areas
• Have your wallet in front pocket
• Keep your camera against your chest
• Don’t walk alone after dark

Question 16: Do I need a guide in Cuba?
Answer: You don’t, but guides know places you otherwise wouldn’t find. Having a guide with you will prevent other street guides from approaching you and offering their guiding services. Guides can also take you to Paladars – private restaurants that people have in their houses. You can get food comparable to a regular restaurant, but oftentimes much better and for a better price.

Question 17: What is casa particular?
Answer: Casa Particular is a private home that is available to short term rent as a cheaper substitute for a hotel. Casa Particulares are government controlled and have issued IDs. Maximum two rooms can be rented out per Casa. By staying at a Casa Particular you avoid high hotel fees and you get to hang out with real Cubans – owners of the Casa. They will provide advice and guidance and breakfast is often included in price. Plus by staying at a Casa particular you would be directly supporting this Cuban family, rather than a foreign corporation that built a hotel in Cuba.

To learn more about Casas Particulares go to: Casa Particular Complete Guide

Question 18: How much does a casa particular cost?
Answer: Average cost is 20 – 35 CUC per night per room. Room can house two people. Price depends on where the casa is (Havana or Santiago de Cuba are more expensive than let’s say, Santa Clara). It’s also about 5 CUC less during low season.

Question 19: What do I need to stay in Casa particular?
Answer: Your passport. Casa particulares are government controlled and they must take your passport number for their records.

Question 20: I’ve heard you needed at least a 3 day hotel reservation to enter Cuba. Is this true?
Answer: No, not true. You must have an address in Cuba where you will be staying for the first three nights as this information is a mandatory field on your tourist card (Canadian travellers get a tourist card from their flight providers, others may need to purchase it upon landing in Cuba). However it’s not like they check vigorously where you’re really staying. Cuba lives off tourism. You could write any random address from the Lonely Planet guide on the tourist card and it’ll get you in. I’ve always had my casa pre-booked, but many of my friends had nothing and just wrote down the info of a random casa from the guide book, and had no issues entering Cuba. You need to know the name, address and the license number of the casa you will be staying at and write it down on the tourist card. That’s it, welcome to Cuba!

Question 21: Is internet available in Cuba?
Answer: It is available in hotels, but it’s slow and ridiculously expensive. You’ll get the speed of a dial up for 5 CUC an hour. You will barely get anything done, it’s so slow.

Question 22: Are cell phone services available in Cuba?
Answer: Forget it, man. Cuba is the most relaxed country. You will be exposed to culture and people who enjoy their stress free lives. Join them in exactly that – stress free, relaxed vacation. Leave your cell phone at home. It won’t work in Cuba anyway.

Related Posts

• Havana Price Guide
• Trade Relations Between Canada and Cuba
• CUP – Cuban Peso
• Casa Particular License – How Much Do Cubans Pay?
• Casa Particular Price Guide – How Much Do Casas Cost?
• Casa Particular vs Hotel – Advantages Explained
• Tipping in Havana
• Cuba Change is Imminent, Get Tips to Plan Your Travel Here
• CUC – Cuban Convertible Peso
• Illegal Casas Particulares