Bring out the cigars: TODAY Goes to Cuba

Its only 90 miles from the U.S. coastline, is the most populous country in the Caribbean, and while experiencing rapid growth in tourism — very few of those tourists are American.

In an NBC News exclusive, and one of the very few times an American television show has broadcast live from there, NBC News's Matt Lauer will take viewers on an special visit to Cuba on "Today" Tuesday, June 5.

Lauer will report live from Havana, where he will report on the current political and cultural climates of Cuba. Reports will include an update on Castro's health, a discussion about Castro's importance in the country, where its political future is headed, and the country's relations with the U.S.

A report about the U.S.-Cuba embargo will offer viewers a glimpse to how this embargo affects Cuba as well as the U.S., and at the American tourism companies waiting in the wings if the embargo is lifted – what could happen to the rest of the Caribbean if tourists make Cuba their new vacation destination? The country's rich cultural landscape will be profiled and Lauer will answer the question – why does Cuba matter and what is every day life like there?

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