President Obama’s plan to ease some travel restrictions and restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba is creating business buzz in Bay area.

Before the trade embargo of 1961, Cuba was Tampa’s biggest trading partner. Port Tampa Bay is the closest full-service U.S. port to Cuba.

”When we receive word from the President and Congress that the embargo has been officially lifted, we will look forward to being a major gateway for people and cargo, to and from Cuba, for years to come,” said Paul Anderson, Port Tampa Bay president and CEO.

Travelers to Cuba can now return with $400 worth of goods. That includes $100 worth of Cuban cigars and alcohol, which is roughly five to 10 cigars. That’s not enough to have an impact on Ybor City’s cigar producers, however, they are watching the possibility of the embargo being lifted. 

Pre-embargo, Ybor City cigar producers thrived on Cuban Cigars. Many went out of business once they lost access to Cuban tobacco.  If the embargo were to be lifted, Ybor could find itself back in Cuban cigar making.

The J.C. Newman Cigar Company is one of the original Ybor City cigar makers. 

“Of the original 10 cigar families, many went out of business with the trade embargo,” said Eric Newman, president of J.C. Newman Cigar Company.  “Cuba has great tobacco.  We would love to have access to Cuban tobacco to blend into our Cigars.”

There is also the potential for increased air travel from Tampa to Cuba. Nearly 94,0000 people of Cuban heritage call the Bay area home.     

Flights to Cuba generate about $1 million a year at Tampa International Airport.

The CEO of TIA says the easing of travel restrictions to the communist nation could boost that number considerably.