Passport Rule May Hurt Caribbean Tourism (U.S.)

[Judi Lynn]

Passport Rule May Hurt Caribbean Tourism

By STEVENSON JACOBS
Associated Press Writer

April 27, 2005, 4:47 AM EDT


KINGSTON, Jamaica -- New U.S. travel rules aimed at closing America's borders to terrorists may cause trouble for an unintended target -- poor Caribbean countries seeking vital U.S. tourist dollars, regional officials say.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security this month announced new rules that mean Americans used to traveling to the islands with a driver's license or birth certificate will have to have passports.
(snip)

U.S. visitors represent the region's largest tourism market, accounting for 53 percent of last year's almost 22 million visitors, excluding cruise ship passengers, according to the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization.

An estimated 60 million Americans have passports.

Under the new Homeland Security regulations, Americans returning from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America must show passports starting Dec. 31. But those returning from Canada and Mexico only have to show passports starting Dec. 31, 2006.
(snip/...)

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-caribbean-us-tourists,0,1180137.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

[MADem]

1. Nitwits. Let's all be shitty to our neighbors, now!

They want to make it so hard to leave, that we won't. Then one day, we'll wake up and we won't be ABLE TO.

[rodeodance]

2. we are afraid of everything and everyone now

[wakeme2008]

3. It will be interesting what happens when

the cruise industry gets hit with this.

A lot of the people doing cruises to the Caribbean/Alaska/Mexican Rivera are first time cruisers and in most cases in groups. Now all those people that have never left the country will have to add $80 pp to the trip for passports. IMHO a lot of groups like the Freepers yearly Caribbean cruise, will look away from leaving the country after finding out most of their members do not have passports.

[tinymontgomery]

4. Gee,the new iron curtain

Gee,the new iron curtain. I throught the iron curtain came down in 89