named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
A Taste of Cuba Culinary Tour
6-day tour exploring Cuban cuisine through visits to paladares, cooking classes, farm-to-table meals, and rum/cigar tastings, combined with cultural activities in Havana and Viñales Valley
Blue Note Tour: Cuba With Award Winning Pianist Jorge Luis Pacheco
Specialty music tour hosted by pianist Jorge Luis Pacheco, combining performances, masterclasses, and cultural immersion in Cuba
Cuban Music & Art Tour
8-day cultural immersion focusing on Cuban music, dance, and art, including private concerts, salsa lessons, museum visits, and artist studio tours in Havana, Cienfuegos, and Trinidad
Custom Tours of Cuba, Sicily, Mexico, Spain & Ireland
Privately arranged cultural travel experiences tailored to client interests in multiple countries, with a focus on arts, food, and local engagement
Havana International Jazz Festival Tour
7-day tour timed to coincide with the Havana Jazz Festival, featuring exclusive performances, artist meetups, and curated cultural activities
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Traditional & Cultural Performing Arts 2 activities
- Organize private cultural performances and artist engagements in CubaCoordinates private music concerts, dance performances, and visits with local artists as integral components of its cultural tour programming in Cuba, featuring performances by professional Cuban music groups and hosted experiences with figures such as award-winning pianist Jorge Luis Pacheco.
- Produce and present Cuban music performances in the United StatesArranges and produces over 100 Cuban music performances in the United States, bringing Cuban artists and cultural programming to U.S. audiences as part of its broader mission of cultural exchange.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Offer cultural immersion tours to international destinations beyond CubaDesigns and operates cultural tours to Mexico, Sicily, Ireland, and Spain, featuring small-group and private itineraries focused on local history, art, traditions, and cuisine. Examples include 7-day tours to Mexico City and San Miguel de Allende, 8-day tours to Sicily, and 7-day cultural tours in Ireland, all led by expert guides and including curated cultural, historical, and culinary activities.
- Operate small-group cultural exchange tours to CubaDesigns and operates legally compliant cultural exchange travel programs to Cuba with a focus on music, dance, art, and local cuisine, offering both scheduled weekly small-group tours and private itineraries. Group sizes are limited to 8 participants to ensure immersive, authentic experiences, with programming including guided walking tours of Old Havana, visits to historic sites like Finca la Vigia, and excursions to rural areas such as Viñales Valley and Las Terrazas.
- Provide legal travel authorization and comprehensive travel services for U.S. travelers to CubaFacilitates legal travel to Cuba for U.S. citizens by providing people-to-people travel authorization under a license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and coordinates end-to-end travel logistics including accommodations, transportation, meals at private paladares, and guided cultural activities in compliance with OFAC regulations.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.26M
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$1.26M100%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.07M
Program expenses99%
Admin / overhead1%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$53K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$624K
Cash$594K
Investments$0
Liabilities$367
Net assets$624K
Liquid reserves6.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +40.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHABNAM SAMOOHI | PRESIDENT | 40 | $98K |
board members · 3
- DAHLIA LAHIJI — DIRECTOR
- MAZAL GAVRIELOV — VICE PRESIDE
- TERESA SANCHEZ — DIRECTOR
relationships · 23
Who they work with
- Andy Rivero Partner — Organizes visits to the home and gallery of Cuban painter Andy Rivero
- Beyond Roots Partner — Visits Beyond Roots’ headquarters in Old Havana, a private cultural center dedicated to Afrocuban culture.
- Café Ajiaco Partner — Hosts a cooking class and lunch at Café Ajiaco, a venue featured in the culinary tour.
- Casa Mia paladar Partner — Serves lunch at Casa Mia, a privately-run restaurant (paladar) in Havana.
- El del Frente paladar Partner — Serves lunch at El del Frente, a privately-run restaurant (paladar) in Havana.
- Ernest Hemingway Partner — Includes visits to Finca la Vigia, the former home of Ernest Hemingway, in tour itineraries.
- Ernest Hemingway House Partner — Includes guided visits to the Ernest Hemingway House as part of tour itineraries.
- Finca Vigía Partner — Includes visits to the Hemingway estate as part of cultural tour
- Gianfranco Partner — Primary contact for tour inquiries and custom itineraries
- Havana Compás Dance troupe Partner — Includes a performance by the Havana Compás Dance troupe during the tour.
- Havana Compás Dance troupe Partner — Includes performances by the Havana Compás Dance troupe in tour programming.
- Irma Partner — Local tour guide and designer of the Mexico City and San Miguel de Allende tour.
- Irma Gonzalez Partner — Local guide and tour designer leading cultural tours to Mexico for Cultural Island Travel.
- Jorge Luis Pacheco Partner — Award-winning pianist who hosts and leads specialized music tours to Cuba.
- Jorge Luis Pacheco Partner — Collaborates with award-winning pianist Jorge Luis Pacheco on specialized music immersion tours.
- Jorge Luis Pacheco Partner — Collaborates with pianist Jorge Luis Pacheco to lead music and cultural tours in Cuba.
- Jorge Luis Pacheco Partner — Host artist for music immersion tours in Cuba.
- Jose Fuster Partner — Includes visits to Fusterlandia, the mosaic art neighborhood created by artist Jose Fuster
- Jose Fuster Partner — Includes visits to the home and art neighborhood of artist Jose Fuster as part of its cultural tours.
- Jose Fuster Partner — Visits Fusterlandia, the home and art neighborhood of Cuban artist Jose Fuster, as part of the tour.
- Taller de La Gráfica de la Habana Partner — Visits and coordinates activities with the Taller de La Gráfica lithograph collective during tours.
- U.S. Department of the Treasury Government — Holds a people-to-people license authorizing legal travel to Cuba for U.S. citizens.
- US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets (OFAC) Government — Licensed and regulated by OFAC to conduct cultural exchange travel to Cuba
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Client-Centered Customization for Personalized Engagementmethodology: client-centered-customizationBy designing fully customized travel experiences based on client interests, we produce deeper engagement and satisfaction because personal relevance increases emotional investment and meaningful cultural connection.
- Cultural Immersion for Authentic Local Experiencemethodology: cultural_immersionBy immersing travelers in local culture—particularly through music, dance, art, and direct engagement with artists—we produce authentic, resident-like experiences because deep cultural participation fosters genuine understanding and connection that surface-level tourism cannot.
- Local Economic Support Through Tourism Infrastructuremethodology: community-based-economic-supportBy channeling tourism spending toward privately owned paladares and local entrepreneurs, we strengthen independent civil society in Cuba because economic support to non-state actors fosters resilience and cultural authenticity.
- People-to-People Exchange Aligned with U.S. Policymethodology: support-for-the-cuban-peopleBy structuring travel under the "Support for the Cuban People" framework, we enable legally compliant travel while fostering cross-cultural understanding because direct engagement with local artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs strengthens mutual respect and supports civil society.