Janet Silvera, Gleaner Writer
WASHINGTON, DC:
THE CARIBBEAN'S anticipation for an extension on the Western Hemispheric Travel Initiative was shattered in Washington, DC, on Tuesday by Assistant Secretary of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of States, Maura Harty.
Mrs. Harty said the safety of her country was primary, even though she empathised with the concerns expressed by the region.
Within seven or eight months the Western Hemis-phere Travel Initiative requiring all Americans to have a passport when traveling to the Caribbean, is to become law.
Responding to statements made by president of the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), Berthia Parle, regarding the profound impact the decision will have on the tourism dependent region, Mrs. Harty did not entertain any suggestions for an extension. She instead explained that 7,000 outlets were opened specifically to assist Americans in getting their passports.
The Assistant Secretary of Consular Affairs was among a group of panelists at the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Sixth Global Travel and Tourism Summit being held in Washington, DC.
NOT ON AGENDA
Up to three weeks ago the region's tourism stakeholders had hoped the U.S. Passport issue would have been broached by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs who met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the Bahamas. However, the subject was not placed on the agenda.
In June 2005, the CHA-led WTTC research showed that, of the 188,300 jobs slated to be lost by tourism workers as a result of the new U.S. passport regulations, 113,000 were Jamaicans.
Jamaica also stood to lose 58.4 per cent in visitor export and US$1,130 million in revenue if the region was not given the two-year extension Canada and Mexico were afforded.
After aggressive lobbying, the region deadline was extended by one year. The effect on travel and tourism is not expected to be anything close to the original estimates; however, Mrs. Parle feels that it will still have an impact in the short term.
"Last-minute, spontaneous travellers are the ones that will be affected," she told The Gleaner.
