The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), representing 32 nations across the Caribbean region, applauded the decision by the United States government to temporarily relax the requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which went into effect after January 23, 2007, which called for all U.S. citizens to have a passport in order to return to the country following travel overseas by air.

At the same time, Caribbean governments are urging a full waiver of these requirements until July 2009, when the rules are scheduled to come into effect for cruise passengers traveling into the Caribbean region.

The CTO also notes that the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has recognized the overwhelming impact the passport delay is having on the economies of the affected countries, and voted last night to delay passport requirements for U.S. travelers entering the country by land or sea from Canada and Mexico by 18 months to June 1, 2009 due to the huge backlog in issuing new U.S. passports.

“The evidence is now overwhelming that tourism and commerce in the Caribbean region have suffered considerably as a result of the WHTI passport rules, as was predicted by the United States’ own study by the Customs and Border Protection in August 2006, as well as a study by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC),” said Allen Chastanet, the CTO chairman and St. Lucia’s tourism minister.

“And by excluding the Caribbean from further delay in its implementation the consequences will be severe,” he added.

In addition, there remain a number of issues that need to be resolved, including clarification on documents that will be acceptable to airlines and visited countries, as well as for reentry into the U.S. by air passengers and the confusion that will ensue from different sets of rules.

CTO therefore urges total delay of the full implementation of the rules until June 1, 2009, to include air travel.

Meantime, the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Tourism Organization has recommended to Caribbean governments that ALL Caribbean countries accept the same documents that the airlines accept for adults and children under the age of 16 for entry purposes.

The CTO’s call is fully endorsed by the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA).