Anew in-flight magazine is now being distributed on U.S. charter flights to Cuba. The monthly magazine, OnCuba, is the brainchild of entrepreneur Hugo Cancio and his Miami-based Fuego Media Group.

And the inaugural March issue is full-color and glossy, with 48 pages of articles, photos and charts. Features in that issue include the island’s patron saint Virgin of Charity, painter Bonachea, hurdle jumper Dayron Robles, Cuba’s Oscar film entry “Habana Station” and places to hear live music in major cities. All articles are published both in their original Spanish and in English.

Cancio said he printed 22,000 copies for March, hoping to capitalize on a surge of travelers to Cuba for Pope Benedict XVI’s Mar. 26-28 visit. He aims to print an initial 15,000 to 20,000 copies monthly after that for the halfdozen companies that operate charter flights to Cuba from Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, New York and other U.S. gateway cities.

Cancio told CubaNews the idea for the new magazine came one day when he was at Miami International Airport and overheard a group of Americans on a National Geographic expedition discussing where in Cuba to go in between their programmed events.

Some asked questions about how currencyexchange worked on the island.

“I love Americans traveling to my native country, so it came to me: It’s time for us to put together a magazine,” said Cancio, who arrived in the United States in 1980 — at the age of 16 — and has been back to Cuba often. Cancio, a longtime anti-embargo activist, is a music promoter who’s brought big-name Cuban artists like Silvio Rodríguez and Los Van Van to the United States.

One year ago, he and New York attorney Antonio Martínez formed a political action travel ban.

To get OnCuba off the ground, Cancio assembled a team of writers, photographers, editors, designers and translators in Cuba led by veteran magazine editor Tahimi Arboleya.

Their aim: to share the mystery and allure of Cuba, as Arboleya puts it in her first editor’s column. That includes culture, history, nature, daily life and travel. There’s a guide to currency exchange and Customs issues. Plans call for a business section soon.

Advertisers in the first edition are charter flight operators, Miami companies that ship freight to Cuba, restaurants in Havana including Paladar La Guarida and Café Laurel, and some of Cancio’s own ventures: consulting company Cuba Business Development Group and mobile telephone business Mascell.

Cancio said a full-page ad in OnCuba now retails between $1,800 to $2,000, but prices will vary based on the number of editions booked and on magazine volume.

He’s hoping to expand circulation to more airlines that serve Cuba and plans to speak with Cayman Airways, Cubana de Aviación and others for placement on their flights.

“Our long-term goal is for this magazine to become the magazine for all travelers to Cuba,” he said.

Initial reaction to OnCuba has been positive. Readers said they like the timely content and artsy photos. But questions surfaced about its financial viability. 

The magazine must print different versions for competing charter companies. It will depend on ads mainly from a limited pool of U.S. companies that serve tourism to Cuba.

And some wonder how many Cuban enterprises can afford its glossy ads.

Cancio says he’s looking beyond the print edition to draw readers and advertisers. His team has also launched a website, Facebook page, Twitter account and YouTube channel to engage audiences.