FIHAV 2025 Set for this November

Cuba has confirmed the 41st edition of the Havana International Fair (FIHAV 2025) will take place from November 24 to 29 at the ExpoCuba fairgrounds. As the region’s premier multi-sector trade show, FIHAV continues to serve as a strategic platform for international businesses exploring opportunities in the Cuban market.

Attracting hundreds of companies and dozens of national delegations, FIHAV is considered the most significant commercial event in Latin America and the Caribbean for foreign trade and investment. The fair offers a central meeting ground for enterprises and international firms, providing space for introductions, business negotiations, and insight into Cuba’s economic priorities.

One of the key components of the fair is the VIII Foreign Investment Forum, organized by the Cuban Chamber of Commerce. The forum brings together global investors and Cuban representatives, facilitating direct negotiations and partnerships. In recent years, these forums have accelerated the process of securing foreign direct investment in priority sectors.

Cuba traditionally uses the FIHAV platform to unveil its Annual Portfolio of Foreign Investment Opportunities, a document detailing hundreds of vetted and fast-tracked projects open to international funding. In 2024, the portfolio listed 708 projects, ranging across infrastructure, renewable energy, manufacturing, tourism, and agriculture. Many of these projects are seeking joint ventures with Cuban partners, though some offer possibilities for 100% foreign financing.

The investment guide, available in English and Spanish, includes feasibility assessments and projected returns, and it reflects Cuba’s willingness to consider unsolicited proposals from investors outside the outlined portfolio.

The FIHAV organizers have moved the event to the last week of November. The decision was based on minimizing “weather risks, especially after last year’s experience when Hurricane Rafael forced us to suspend the fair barely 48 hours after it was inaugurated,” Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Investment, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga said at the recent press conference.

For companies considering expansion into the Cuban market, presence at FIHAV is considered essential. Many Cuban buyers treat exhibitor participation as an informal pre-selection process for future business partnerships. Exhibiting within a national pavilion also serves as an endorsement of credibility and commitment.

Embassies are currently coordinating pavilion space reservations for interested companies. Those looking to participate are encouraged to contact their country’s commercial offices in Havana for pricing and logistical support.

As Cuba continues to open its economy to foreign capital, FIHAV remains a pivotal gateway for companies ready to establish a long-term presence on the island.