The Caribbean Tourism Organization is not
happy.
Cruise passengers
got a reprieve, but air passengers did not.
Reaction was swift
to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative passed by Congress 
Sept. 29, which gave
travelers entering the U.S. by land and sea until June 2009 to
procure a valid passport. Congress, however, remained silent on the
air portion of the WHTI, so the implementation date of Jan. 8, 2007
remains in place requiring a passport for all travelers returning
to the U.S. by air.
Vincent
Vanderpool-Wallace, CTO's secretary general, likened the negative
effect of the passport requirement for air travelers to a "Category
6 hurricane."
"It is
incomprehensible that the U.S. government would approve an
amendment that excludes air arrivals from the Caribbean and
therefore grant an additional advantage to cruise lines in the
Caribbean, which already enjoy a significant competitive advantage
especially since the cruise lines also supported the inclusion of
air arrivals" Vanderpool-Wallace said.
The economic impact
on tourism within the Caribbean "could be catastrophic and
devastating," the secretary general said.
He suggested that
some Caribbean destinations "will be taking specific actions on
this matter."
To
contact reporter Gay Nagle Myers, send e-mail to [email protected].