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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>JHTA says 'no' to Caricom visa</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline>Jamaica should break ranks with regional grouping if necessary</SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Observer Reporter
Friday, January 05, 2007
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<P class=StoryText align=justify>The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) is suggesting that Jamaica be pulled from a Caribbean Community (Caricom) decision to require a special visa for visitors coming to the region during the ICC World Cup Cricket tournament beginning March.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Horace Peterkin, president of the umbrella grouping, said the industry would prefer if Caricom abandons the visa requirement, but if it did not, Jamaica should put its national interest first and go it alone.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Peterkin accused the regional grouping of sacrificing the Caribbean tourism industry "for 58 days of cricket" and doing so without consulting with the tourism ministers, the tourist boards or the embassies of the region.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"We know that security is a main concern to the ICC and our governments, but protecting a few months of cricket versus losing years of sweat equity, reputation, and confidence of these markets along with the immediate income of the stakeholders (some of whom could go out of business) is a very hard pill to swallow," Peterkin wrote in a letter to Jamaica's tourism minister, Aloun Assamba.<P class=StoryText align=justify>He predicted "massive and immediate cancellation of all forward bookings" from countries which are now required to get Caricom visas, touching: all USA and Canadian residents, residents of certain European, Central and Eastern European countries, South and Central America and all African and Arab countries.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"This matter is a grave one which needs to be explained to Jamaica. Caricom has done it again... this time in the name of 58 days of World Cup Cricket... How this could happen is beyond all of us in the industry," said Peterkin, who is also general manager of the Sandals Montego Bay resort.
Assamba was in Barbados yesterday attending a meeting on the contentious visa issue and was unavailable for comment. She is due to return to the island today.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Peterkin said Assamba would be making an announcement on the decision taken by the meeting but he appeared to be preparing the association for a major assault on the visa decision, if it is not cancelled by Caricom.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"If Caricom is not able to cancel the ruling, which comes into effect on January 15, 2007 (and lasts until May 31), then Jamaica should break away from the grouping in the interest of protecting its long-term interest," he said.
In a brief to the tourism minister before she left for the meeting, the JHTA warned that the fallout from the visa requirement could also include: loss of airlift to Jamaica from the affected regions and countries; cancellation of future charter operations from the affected regions; widespread bad press internationally; an immediate end to the inclusion of Jamaica in all tour operating programmes in the affected countries, in favour of islands which do not have such regulations, for example, the Dominican Republic; and loss of market share.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The letter also listed other possible repercussions like liability lawsuits from tourism companies and airlines which have invested in Jamaican tourism programmes from the affected regions, "for financial losses they will incur", and from the travelling public; creation of ill-will and lack of confidence with overseas tourism ministries and tour operators and travel agencies in the affected countries, "that will be irreparable".<P class=StoryText align=justify>"The impact would be felt for years. We would have to start from scratch to rebuild those markets. The travelling public would not sudd
<SPAN class=Subheadline>Jamaica should break ranks with regional grouping if necessary</SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Observer Reporter
Friday, January 05, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) is suggesting that Jamaica be pulled from a Caribbean Community (Caricom) decision to require a special visa for visitors coming to the region during the ICC World Cup Cricket tournament beginning March.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Horace Peterkin, president of the umbrella grouping, said the industry would prefer if Caricom abandons the visa requirement, but if it did not, Jamaica should put its national interest first and go it alone.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Peterkin accused the regional grouping of sacrificing the Caribbean tourism industry "for 58 days of cricket" and doing so without consulting with the tourism ministers, the tourist boards or the embassies of the region.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"We know that security is a main concern to the ICC and our governments, but protecting a few months of cricket versus losing years of sweat equity, reputation, and confidence of these markets along with the immediate income of the stakeholders (some of whom could go out of business) is a very hard pill to swallow," Peterkin wrote in a letter to Jamaica's tourism minister, Aloun Assamba.<P class=StoryText align=justify>He predicted "massive and immediate cancellation of all forward bookings" from countries which are now required to get Caricom visas, touching: all USA and Canadian residents, residents of certain European, Central and Eastern European countries, South and Central America and all African and Arab countries.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"This matter is a grave one which needs to be explained to Jamaica. Caricom has done it again... this time in the name of 58 days of World Cup Cricket... How this could happen is beyond all of us in the industry," said Peterkin, who is also general manager of the Sandals Montego Bay resort.
Assamba was in Barbados yesterday attending a meeting on the contentious visa issue and was unavailable for comment. She is due to return to the island today.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Peterkin said Assamba would be making an announcement on the decision taken by the meeting but he appeared to be preparing the association for a major assault on the visa decision, if it is not cancelled by Caricom.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"If Caricom is not able to cancel the ruling, which comes into effect on January 15, 2007 (and lasts until May 31), then Jamaica should break away from the grouping in the interest of protecting its long-term interest," he said.
In a brief to the tourism minister before she left for the meeting, the JHTA warned that the fallout from the visa requirement could also include: loss of airlift to Jamaica from the affected regions and countries; cancellation of future charter operations from the affected regions; widespread bad press internationally; an immediate end to the inclusion of Jamaica in all tour operating programmes in the affected countries, in favour of islands which do not have such regulations, for example, the Dominican Republic; and loss of market share.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The letter also listed other possible repercussions like liability lawsuits from tourism companies and airlines which have invested in Jamaican tourism programmes from the affected regions, "for financial losses they will incur", and from the travelling public; creation of ill-will and lack of confidence with overseas tourism ministries and tour operators and travel agencies in the affected countries, "that will be irreparable".<P class=StoryText align=justify>"The impact would be felt for years. We would have to start from scratch to rebuild those markets. The travelling public would not sudd