Despite travel restrictions - Americans are visiting Cuba in record numbers.br br New statistics released by the Cuban government show more than 98,000 U.S. citizens traveled to the communist-run island in 2012 - up from about 73,000 in 2011.br br These numbers don't include visits by U.S. diplomats - or the estimated hundreds of thousands of Cuban Americans who travel home each year.br br American tourist Robert Batha said getting to Cuba is difficult - but worth it.br br SOUNDBITE: Robert Batha, U.S. tourist on cultural exchange in Cuba, saying:br br "It's not easy. We don't get to travel directly to Cuba. We came through Cancun, through Mexico. I don't think we're officially supposed to be here but we're on a cultural exchange because we're all avid photographers."br br The rise in U.S. tourism is linked to the loosening of travel restrictions by the Obama administration.