CHA Warns Again about Mandatory U.S. Passport Regulation for American Travelers

The Caribbean region stands to lose more than 188,000 jobs and $2.6 billion in visitor export earnings if an extension to the proposed U.S. passport initiative, set to take effect Dec. 31 in the region, is not granted.

Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) president Berthia Parle, speaking at the annual Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference in Miami, reported on the findings of a recent study commissioned by the World Travel and Tourism Council, which measured the impact of the proposed regulations on travel by U.S. visitors to the Caribbean.

“CHA can appreciate the U.S. concern for its security, and we have no issue with that. We understand the sovereign right of a country to mandate the documentation required for entry into the country and the need to protect the borders,” Parle said.

“However, we cannot lose sight of the impact of the new regulations on Caribbean travel and tourism, which will be a permanent realignment of traffic, with spontaneous, last-minute travel significantly reduced.”

The proposed regulations, officially called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), require U.S. travelers to possess a U.S. passport for re-entry into the U.S. from the Caribbean.

Mrs. Parle said CHA has contacted U.S. congressional leaders and government officials to lobby for an extension of the Dec. 31 requirement.

In the meantime, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is accepting comments from the industry and other interested parties through July 31. A final rule on the proposed regulations could be issued in late summer or early fall.