What Cuba Buddy does

Cuba Buddy (legally Travel Buddies GmbH) is a Berlin-headquartered, Cuba-specialized travel agency founded in 2014 by Christopher Trinczek. The company sells individually customizable package tours and pre-planned group tours to Cuba, with itineraries including accommodations (primarily Casa Particulares in standard, Premium, and Boutique tiers), ground transport, activities (diving, hiking, cycling, vintage-car tours, marathon events), and optionally flights. Revenue is generated primarily through full-package pricing under German Pauschalreisegesetz (package travel law) protections, supplemented by flight-mediation service fees (10% / €60 per ticket), e-Visum/Touristenkarte sales (from €27.50), and individual activity bookings. Pricing spans entry-level (€199 Cuba Buddy Starter Kit) through high-end (€6,900 Cuba + Miami combination), with most core packages priced between €1,290 and €3,790 per person.

Operationally, Cuba Buddy runs a dual-office model: a Berlin team handles D2C sales, consultation, booking, payment, and customer service under German law, while a Havana team of roughly two-thirds of total headcount provides on-the-ground execution, local partner management, and 24/7 trip support. The technology platform is a WordPress-based website with standard martech integrations (Google Analytics, Hotjar, Google Maps, DoubleClick retargeting, Aircall phone system) — there is no proprietary AI, app, or API product. The go-to-market combines direct website and phone/email sales with an exclusive B2B distribution partnership with Lufthansa City Center, providing access to 270+ independent travel agency locations in Germany and internationally. The company is privately held by founder Christopher Trinczek with no disclosed external funding, is registered in Germany (HRB 19245 CB), and serves primarily DACH-market consumers.

Name

Cuba Buddy

Legal name

Travel Buddies GmbH

Website

https://cuba-buddy.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cuba Buddy is a Berlin-based, Cuba-specialist travel agency offering customizable individual and group tour packages. Founded in 2014, the company operates dual offices in Berlin and Havana and serves DACH-market consumers via direct sales and an exclusive Lufthansa City Center partnership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Agency / Tour Operator

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Travel Agencies (561510), Tour Operators (56152)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Travel Agencies (THAKAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family, Honeymoon & Romance Travel Agencies (THAKABAE), Luxury & Premium Leisure Travel Agencies (THAKABAC), Escorted Coach & Bus Package Tour Operators (THAKADAA)

Keywords

• Cuba travel packages
• Individual travel tours
• Group tour operator
• Travel agency services
• Cuba tourism specialist

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Pauschalreisen / Package Tours: Individualized package tours to Cuba sold as package holidays (Pauschalreisen) with full German legal protections under the Pauschalreisegesetz. Tours include accommodations (Casas Particulares, boutique hotels), transfers, activities, and optional flights. Revenue generated from full package prices. The company acts as both tour operator and travel agent.
2. Service Fees / Vermittlungsentgelt: Service fees charged for travel intermediary and booking services. Flight mediation fee of 10% of gross ticket price or €60 per ticket (€100 for Business/First class). Service fees for other travel services as separately agreed. Non-refundable upon cancellation.
3. E-Visa / Tourist Card Sales: Online sales of tourist cards (e-Visum/Touristenkarte) for Cuba entry, starting from €27.50 inclusive of VAT (excl. shipping). Service includes electronic visa application processing. No refund for personalized E-Visas once sent.
4. Activity Bookings: Individual activity bookings (e.g., diving, hiking, sailing, city tours) sold as standalone services or bundled with packages. Full refund for cancellations more than 24 hours before activity; no refund within 24 hours or no-show.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Cuba Buddy sells individually customizable and pre-planned group travel packages to Cuba, including accommodations (Casas Particulares in standard, Premium, and Boutique tiers, plus boutique hotels), transfers, activities (e.g., diving, hiking, sailing, city tours), and optional flights, all operated with German Pauschalreisegesetz legal protections. The company also sells E-Visum/Tourist Card services for Cuba entry, and acts as both a tour operator and travel agent.

Product overview

Cuba Buddy is a specialized travel agency offering personalized Cuba travel experiences through a unified service platform. The core offering consists of individually customizable travel packages (Individualreisen) and pre-planned group tours (Gruppenreisen), complemented by accommodation booking services including Casa Particulares (standard, Premium, and Boutique tiers) and hotels. Additional services include eVisum/tourist card processing. The company operates with a team in Berlin for booking and payment processing, and a local team in Havana for on-ground support, providing 24/7 assistance throughout the customer journey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cuba Buddy Casa: Selected Casa Particular accommodations managed by Cuba Buddy with local partners.
• Cuba Buddy Premium Casa
• Cuba Buddy Boutique Casa

Products and services

• Kuba Kompakt 9-day condensed Cuba travel package with Havana city tour and Viñales Valley activity options, targeting travelers seeking a shorter Cuba experience; from €980 per person.
• Kuba im Oldtimer 15-day classic car (vintage automobile) tour through Cuba covering Havana's historic old town and Viñales, priced from €1,890 per person excluding flights.
• Kuba Rundreise 2 Wochen Two-week roundtrip Cuba tour covering colonial Havana, Viñales UNESCO World Heritage site, and Topes de Collantes National Park, from €1,790 per person.
• Kuba für Familien 13-day family-friendly Cuba trip with activities suitable for children, beaches near Havana, and wildlife exploration, from €1,490 per person.
• Flitterwochen in Kuba Romantic honeymoon Cuba package with boutique hotels, exclusive Casas Particulares, Cayo Levisas beach escape, and private candle-light dinners, from €2,790 per person.
• Luxusreise Kuba 11-day luxury Cuba travel package with premium Casas Particulares, Cayo Santa María beaches, and exclusive private city tours in Havana, from €3,690 per person.
• Kuba Tauchreise 2 Wochen Two-week Cuba diving trip including La Dama del Caribe coral formation, Cayo Piedras del Norte wreck diving, and cave diving in Guajimico, from €2,490 per person.
• Kuba Highlights 12-day group tour covering Havana's historic old town, Viñales UNESCO site, and catamaran trip to Cayo Blanco, from €2,350 per person.
• Highlights von Ost nach West 17-day comprehensive group tour crossing Cuba from east to west, including hike to Loma de la Cruz and Havana's historic old town, from €3,790 per person (including flights).
• Kuba Kombireise: Miami meets Havanna 14-day combined trip to Miami, Key West, and a 9-day Cuba roundtrip covering Havana, Viñales, Cienfuegos, and Trinidad, from €6,900 per person.
• Radreise durch Kuba (Kuba by bike) Bicycle tour through Cuba with modern bikes and local cycling guide, route through Viñales Valley tobacco fields, priced from €2,200 per person.
• Grüner Osten Kubas 12-day eastern Cuba roundtrip featuring national park hikes, crystal-clear beaches, and Loma de la Cruz viewpoint in Holguín, from €1,290 per person.
• Lauf & Entspannung Kuba 8-day marathon and relaxation Cuba trip combining Havana running with local clubs, Hemingway tour, and all-inclusive beach resort in Jibacoa, from €2,800 per person (excluding flight).
• Cuba Buddy Starter Kit 4-day introductory Cuba package focused on Havana nightlife and authentic Casa accommodation experience, from €199 per person.
• Casa Particular Accommodation Booking Authentic Cuban bed & breakfast accommodations operated by local families, available through Cuba Buddy in three tiers (standard Cuba Buddy Casa, Cuba Buddy Premium Casa, Cuba Buddy Boutique Casa) for genuine cultural immersion across Cuba.
• E-Visum / Touristenkarte Service Electronic visa and tourist card service for Cuba entry, processed online by Cuba Buddy from €27.50 inclusive of VAT (excluding shipping).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10,000 cumulative bookings and 1,000+ trips sold per year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Lufthansa City Center (LCC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2023Exclusive partnership making Cuba Buddy the exclusive Cuba destination partner for Lufthansa City Center's network of 270+ independent travel agency locations in Germany and internationally. LCC travel professionals sell Cuba Buddy planned trips to their customers. This partnership significantly extends Cuba Buddy's B2B distribution reach beyond direct D2C sales.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hauser Exkursionen: Munich-based German adventure and culture tour operator specializing in small-group expeditions with hand-picked local guides; comparable curated, expert-led model focused on experiential, off-the-beaten-path travel.
• Chamäleon Reisen: German sustainable, small-group adventure tour operator with curated cross-cultural experiences and local partner networks in developing destinations — a comparable niche, expert-led, destination-deep model.
• Studiosus Reisen: German premium tour operator offering curated group and individual travel with deep destination expertise, a high-touch sales consultation model, and German legal package protections — closely mirroring Cuba Buddy's approach in a different destination vertical.
• MEI Tours: German individual travel specialist (Faszination Fernreisen) focusing on hand-crafted, customizable trips to a limited set of long-haul destinations, with comparable custom-itinerary, free consultation, and on-the-ground partner model.
• Gebeco: Established German tour operator (part of DER Touristik) offering escorted group tours and individual travel across many destinations; comparable curated, expert-led tour portfolio sold through travel agencies and direct channels.

Emerging players

• Evaneos: Online marketplace connecting travelers directly with local travel agents worldwide for custom trips; a digital-native, AI-enabled iteration of Cuba Buddy's customization model with broader destination coverage.

Broad incumbents

• DER Touristik (Dertour): One of Germany's largest tour operators with broad multi-destination package offerings including Cuba; competes on the same DACH consumer base and operates the same B2B agency distribution infrastructure.
• Booking.com: Global OTA and meta-search platform that aggregates accommodations, flights, and activities in Cuba; competes for the same DACH traveler through self-service booking, eroding the need for a specialist intermediary.
• TUI: Global tourism conglomerate with mass-market Cuba packages, all-inclusive resorts, and airline capacity; offers overlapping Caribbean product but at scale and with much lower customization.

Others

• Lufthansa City Center: Distribution partner (not a direct competitor) that operates 270+ German travel agency locations reselling Cuba Buddy trips; included because of its strategic centrality to Cuba Buddy's go-to-market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CubaBuddy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cubabuddy
• Instagraminstagram.com/cubabuddy
• Facebookfacebook.com/cubabuddy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cuba Buddy