New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has become the first governor in five years to visit Cuba, following President Obama's ease on trade and travel to  the communist nation. The Governor is heading a delegation of 18 academics and business leaders visiting the island in the wake of the December announcement that the US and Cuba would restore diplomatic relations after more than a half century of hostility and confrontation. Today, Cuomo met with Cuba's top officials for U.S. relations along with executives from Jetblue, MasterCard, Pfizer and other New York-based companies. Scroll down for video . Thumbs up: Andrew Cuomo has become the first American governor to visit the island since the recent thaw in relations with the communist nation, is meant to foster greater ties between New York and Cuba . Local tradition: Governor Cuomo enjoys a mojito during a meeting at the Hotel Nacional in Havana on the first evening of the delegation's visit . Business first: Cuomo has met with Cuba's top officials for U.S. relations along with executives from Jetblue, MasterCard, Pfizer and other New York-based companies . 'Like the people in Cuba, the people in New York and the United States are very excited about the courage that your president, Raul Castro, has shown, and the leadership that he has shown,' Cuomo said. 'We believe that this is going to be a dramatic change that is going to be to the benefit of the people of Cuba and also to the people of the United States.' Cuomo said the purpose of his visit was to see what can be . done now and look to the future should full trade be restored. Marilu B'Hamel, director of North American affairs at Cuba's foreign trade and investment ministry, said the visit was . welcomed and would 'serve to explore the potential between our . two countries and support the progress of normalization.' MasterCard says it is ready to provide service in Cuba and . JetBlue has said it wants to begin direct commercial flights to . Cuba. Meeting: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, center, shakes hands with Cuba's Minister of Foreign Trade Rodrigo Malmierca at the Hotel Nacional in Havana . Checking the engine: Cuomo smiles after seeing a Japanese Toyota engine fitted into a 1956 Chevrolet . Speech: Cuomo addresses members of the press alongside (from left) Cuba's Maria de la Luz B'Hamel, director of the North American Department at Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Carl E. Heastie speaker of the New York Assembly and New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins . Mojitos sir? Antonio Martinez, Director of the Hotel Nacional, front left, shows Governor Cuomo, and the delegation of academics and business leaders the bar of the hotel . Neither has reached a deal with Cuban officials, but by . Monday afternoon the delegation was in initial talks with Cubans . from biotechnology, aviation, banking and tourism after lunching . with the Foreign Trade and Investment Minister Rodrigo . Malmierca. 'Our meeting with Minister Malmierca was very exciting and . informative,' Cuomo said. 'There is much hope for the future.' Obama loosened the trade embargo early this year with a series of executive actions that allow easier U.S. travel to Cuba, more remittances to the island and, at least on paper, U.S. exports to support the island's relatively new private business sector. Obama also moved to remove Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terror, removing a barrier to access to the global financial system. Cuban officials have been pushing Obama to go further with measures that could include more specific federal licenses for U.S. businesses to trade with Cuba in ways currently prohibited. 'The president of the United States has the ability to grant licenses to businesses so that businesses can actually start developing right now in select areas and those are areas that we want to pursue,' Cuomo said. Ten previous U.S. governors have visited Cuba since 1999 but none since 2010, according to the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council.
Cuomo first US governor to visit Cuba since ease on trade and travel .
Heads delegation of 18 New York academics and business leaders .
President Obama eased trade and travel restrictions earlier this year .