Tour operators believe that the US travel embargo of Cuba could be lifted in the wake of this week's announcement that Fidel Castro is stepping down - ending a “golden era” of tourism to the Caribbean island.

Companies say that Castro's departure is likely to combine with a more open approach to the island after November's presidential elections. This could bring an end to the US travel ban. The embargo has been in place since Castro took charge in an armed revolution 49 years ago and introduced communism. The effect has been to keep mainstream Westernisation out of the country.

But this week each of the main Amertican presidential contenders - Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain - said that they would consider a softer approach towards Cuba, but only if political prisoners were released.

Obama said that the US “must be prepared to begin taking steps to normalise relations and to ease the embargo of the past five decades”.

News of Castro's departure on Tuesday had an immediate effect on tour operators, with people booking trips to see the country before it changes. “It's been mad,” said John Faithfull, of Trips Worldwide, a Cuba specialist. Bookings with the company have risen by a third since Castro's last public appearance 19 months ago.

“It looks likely that the embargo will be reviewed and relaxed under a new US president. It's not a question of that happening immediately, but it could happen in a year or two,” he said. “When the embargo is over, I'm not sure where Cuba will find the beds to accommodate its new guests.”

Cheapflights.co.uk reported that searches for Cuba have increased eight-fold this year compared with last, with 43,984 enquiries. This week it was attracting as many as 900 website hits a day.

A spate of new five-star hotel openings, some in former colonial mansions, is already attracting more upmarket tourists. The Saratoga in Havana, the capital, the Iberostar Grand Hotel in Trinidad, and Royal Hideaway in Ensenachos have been especially popular.

Vesella Baleva, product manager for Cuba at Cox & Kings, said: “The end of the embargo would make it touristy. There's a charm now as it's not crowded with Americans. These are the golden years.”

Virgin Atlantic began flying to Cuba in 2005 and holiday bookings increased by a fifth last year. Cheapest fortnight packages cost as little as £871 from Cosmos Holidays.

Details: Trips Worldwide (0117 3114400), Cox & Kings (020-7873 5000), Virgin Holidays (0844 5573859), Cosmos (0871 4238560)

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