New Cuba policy: Companies look to distribute press releases to Cuba as U.S., Cuba seek to normalize relations

The New Cuba policy from the U.S. government is more than just about being able to smoke Cuban cigars more easily, it’s about new business opportunities that may be opening in Cuba.

A new deal that normalizes U.S.-Cuba relations not only means the ability to more easily smoke a Cuban cigar in the U.S. after closing a business deal, but also a host of new business opportunities that will now present themselves to American corporations.

“We fully expect companies to look for ways to expand opportunities and make money in Cuba,” says Glenn Selig, founder of PR NewsChannel, the press release newswire and news syndicator. “These companies will want to send a press release online to reach consumers or directly to reporters in Cuba. PR NewsChannel is uniquely positioned to do that.”

Press releases and articles syndicated on PR NewsChannel are carried by more than 100 news web sites across North America. PR NewsChannel also distributes news to media outlets in Havana, Cuba and its surrounding areas.

For the last 50 years, Cuba has largely been off limits to U.S. businesses because of the embargo.

Today President Obama announced that his Administration established diplomatic relations with Cuba and that he instructed the Secretary of State to continue discussions Cuba and how relations between the two countries can be normalized.

In the coming months, the U.S. will re-establish an embassy in Havana and carry out high-level exchanges and visits between the two governments as part of the normalization process.

The Administration can’t unilaterally lift the 1996 Helms-Burton Act and other laws passed by Congress that restrict most travel and trade with Cuba, so they will stay in place for now.

As it relates to cigars, and what it means for business, some companies are already celebrating.

“It will be fantastic, obviously,” Rob Norris, CEO of cigar retailer and direct marketer JR Cigar told CNBC. “Who knows what the news will be or how long it will take to take place, but that would be very exciting.”

The changes are coming as a result of Cuba releasing Alan Gross this morning, a deal that had been in the works for some time.

But talks between the U.S. and Cuba have been ongoing since June of 2013 after they were facilitated by the Canadians and the Vatican.

As a result of normalizing relations with Cuba announced today, tor the first time, credit and debit cards issued by U.S. banks will work in Cuba. American travelers had to carry large amounts of cash or get a credit card from a bank in another country.

The new rules also allow U.S. companies to export telecommunications equipment to build a broader Internet infrastructure. The Cuban government has agreed to allow its citizens better access to the web.

“People are getting their news and information from the web so that is huge as it relates to news syndication,” says Selig. “This is a big opportunity from a business standpoint.”