After years of tension and feuding, the United Sates and Cuba are working to normalize relations. This official announcement came on December 17th after prisoner Alan Gross arrived home on U.S. soil.

A day previously, both Cuba and the United States agreed on releasing prisoners of the others’ country which led to Alan Gross, captive for 6 years, finally arriving home to family. The 65 year old had been imprisoned for doing government subcontracting for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

After almost 50 years of tensions between our two neighboring nations, Obama announced his plan to restore relations between the two countries. Secretary of State John Kerry met with his counterparts from Canada and Mexico and discussed the building of diplomatic relations.

“It’s time to try something new,” Kerry said of the economic embargo against Cuba. He added that the Obama administration would continue to press Cuban leaders on democracy, human rights protections, and civil society issues. The Obama administration has said that goal is supported by removing barriers to U.S. travel, payments and exports to Cuba. In turn, Cuba has said it welcomes those measures but has no intention of changing its system.

U.S. officials have stated that they will push for Cubans to have free access to the reestablished U.S. embassy, which they said could open before Obama and Raul Castro next see each other at the Summit of the Americas in April in Panama.

U.S. lawmakers opposed to the adjusting relationship said they may try to block the confirmation of a U.S. Ambassador to Havana and prevent any increase in funding to the U.S. diplomatic mission there.

The change in U.S. policy is expected to also allow major U.S. airlines to provide regular service to Cuba.

While travel restrictions are only now being loosened, already people are visiting Cuba from the U.S. in greater numbers. Last year, 100,000 U.S. citizens visited Cuba on “people-to-people” cultural travel, and some 400,000 Cubans living in the U.S. made trips back to the island.

There was also some easing of commercial rules — Americans can use credit cards while there, and they can bring back $400 worth of Cuban goods and $100 of cigars or rum.

Cuban-U.S. politics were also front and center in Obama’s State of the Union in January, saying, “In Cuba, we are ending a policy that was long past its expiration date…And this year, Congress should begin the work of ending the embargo.” Without a doubt the United States will be hearing much more about these Cuban affairs. Be sure to check your local travel agents for the best Cuban vacation hotspot.