U.S. travel to Cuba has increased by 36 percent this year

Between Jan. 1 and May 9 of this year, 51,458 Americans visited Cuba, a 36 percent increase from the same time period in 2014. The increase is of note because U.S. travel to Cuba is only permitted in certain categories.

Jose Luis Perello Cabrera, an economist at the University of Havana, provided the travel statistics to The Associated Press. Cabrera noted that Cuba has also seen a large increase — 57 percent — in U.S. visitors traveling to the island from third countries, though most visitors still traveled directly from the U.S.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Treasury Department told AP that travel to Cuba "for tourist activities continues to be prohibited," even though President Obama eased travel restrictions with Cuba in January. But despite the tourism ban, U.S. travelers now need only to "self-certify" the category of their trip. Tourists who provide reasons such as "support of the Cuban people, or professional research, or a family visit" are allowed to go to Cuba, a spokesperson for ABC Charters, which takes travelers from the U.S. to Cuba, explained to AP.

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Tourists from other countries visiting Cuba have increased this year, too: During the same time period, the number of visitors to Cuba from all countries increased by 14 percent. Germany, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom all saw increased tourists to Cuba in 2015.