The Caribbean will enjoy steady growth in its all-important tourism sector as the U.S. economy continues its recovery, but serious issues — ranging from violent crime in some destinations like the Bahamas and Trinidad to the widely despised U.K. air passenger duty — could prevent the region from realizing its full potential in 2014.
Up to 40 percent of Cuba’s labor force is already working in the private sector, making the country a largely middle-class society and discrediting the notion that Fidel and Raúl Castro must die before real economic change can occur on the island.
Surprises abounded this fall when the 1,300-member Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association sponsored its first official mission to Cuba to learn about potential business opportunities there.