Cashing in on Santeria Tourism in Cuba

Visitors to Cuba have been exploring the religion of Santeria for years, but Reuters just published an interesting little story about the financial rewards for some Santeria priests. “Whereas a Cuban would pay with a fistful of pesos, a foreigner might spend $20 to meet a priest and $50 on good-luck charms like gravel-filled gourds or plastic bead bracelets,” reports the news agency. As a result, in a nation where most people struggle to live comfortably, priests can do quite well. Business can be competitive. In the neighborhood of Regla, Santeria priests gather by the dock when tourists step off ferry boats. At least one Cuban—a Santeria expert and anthropologist—is nonplussed by the practice. She told Reuters: “Santeria is not a commercial thing. Everyone has to pay to be cleansed, but priests shouldn’t pester people for business.”

Photo by jon crel via Flickr (Creative Commons).

©2026 World Hum, All Rights Reserved