CUBA EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL LLC
WEST ISLIP, NY

Run by Collin Laverty, a leading expert on Cuba and U.S.-Cuba relations, Cuba Educational Travel organizes educational exchange programs and people-to-people travel for U.S. citizens and residents to Cuba. We believe our two countries have much to learn from each other and meaningful exchanges that foster dialogue can be highly beneficial to strengthening the artistic, environmental, medical, scientific, and social science communities in the U.S. and Cuba. Most importantly, increased travel and people-to-people contact will strengthen ties between ordinary Americans and Cubans. Cuba Educational Travel's mission is to connect the people of the United States and Cuba. This is done through coordinating travel between both countries – in both directions – to facilitate two-way learning; as well as producing studies and publications about issues of mutual concern and organizing events in the United States that deal with issues related to Cuba and U.S.-Cuba relations. The founder and president of Cuba Educational Travel is Collin Laverty. Mr. Laverty's expertise and focus on U.S.-Cuba academic exchange and Cuba policy concerns date back many years. Nearly a decade ago Laverty took part in a semester-long study abroad program between the College of Charleston and Havana's Institute of Philosophy, one of only a handful of U.S. programs on the island at the time. He then served as the director of the Center for Democracy in the America's Cuba program for several years, taking dozens of Members of the U.S. Congress and Congressional staff on fact-finding trips to Cuba. Mr. Laverty has visited the island over one hundred times and is the author of numerous reports and articles on diverse themes related to U.S.-Cuba relations and Cuban society. His recently released book, Cuba Educational Travel is recognized and respected for its wide-ranging contacts with the Cuban people, at all levels of society. Unlike other companies that offer generic Cuba travel experiences Cuba Educational Travel provides unique, customized trips to Cuba to really get to know the island and its people. If you want to see the real Cuba, you need to travel with Cuba Educational Travel. If you want to see the real Cuba, you have to visit the island with Cuba Educational Travel. Collin knows Cuba. Colin Laverty knows more about Cuba – and knows more Cubans who know how to make things happen – than anyone in the business! Collin did a good job of putting together a balanced agenda for our research trip to Cuba. We spoke with prominent scholars, leaders from the cultural and diplomatic community, as well as everyday Cubans. The small group size allowed us to get off the beaten track and into the homes, farms and small businesses of the local people. He seems to know everyone, and everyone knows him. Cuba Educational Travel is the way to go. Cuba Educational Travel uses its trips to really connect people. I’ve met a lot of Americans, and been able to show my neighborhood [Regla] to a lot of visits, resulting in friendships and professional relationships that go a long way. Fun, interesting, informative and memorable. We saw more of Cuba in one week than I had ever imagined, and became better friends and colleagues while doing so. It was a truly amazing experience.