They have found allies in cruise ship visitors, many of whom argue that they are already bearing the cost of expensive voyages.
Caribbean tourism ministers and commissioners suggested the levy at a June meeting to help improve the tourism sector. But it has not gone unchallenged.
“If the Caribbean governments introduce a $20 tax it would make trips to the region too expensive and I think it would really discourage people from coming down here,” said James Spencer, a cruise ship visitor who was strolling around the Prince George Wharf.
“I just feel like they should find another way to raise the money instead of making a vacation seem like you’re paying your bills at home because to me a vacation is for getting away,” he said.
Jerome Anderson, a tourist from Maryland had a similar reaction.
He said the additional expense would make The Bahamas a costly destination to visit and could adversely affect the cruise ship travel market.
“If the head tax were to become a reality it would probably just be something we would have to live with, but I still think it’s going to be too much though because things here are already expensive,” Mr. Anderson said.
But he conceded that if the money collected would be used to help clean and otherwise improve the destination, “that would be a good thing.”
The head tax proposal is expected to come up again this week when representatives of the cruise industry address over 600 delegates to the 26th Caribbean Tourism Conference in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe is chairing the meeting, which is expected to be attended by ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism, travel agents, hoteliers, cruise operators, tourism suppliers and other industry professionals.
Since the proposal was made, cruise officials, led by the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association, have mounted vigorous opposition to it.
Florida Caribbean Cruise Association President Michelle Paige, in an earlier interview, warned that the Caribbean could become an uncompetitive cruise destination if tourism leaders insisted on implementing the proposed tax.
CTO Secretary General Jean Holder has a different view on the issue.
According to Mr. Holder, Caribbean governments and their citizens have, for years, borne the costs of infrastructural and product development, training, security, environmental protection, insurance and marketing.
He chided cruise lines for using Caribbean facilities and assets and making considerable profits while bearing a small share of the burdens.
“The time has clearly come for Heads of government of the Association of Caribbean States, the Heads of Government of CARICOM and the political directorate of CTO…to stand firm in their determination to make the foreign private sector oligopoly, which makes great use of the Caribbean’s national resources for considerable profit, to make their fair contribution to the development of this region and to cease and desist from putting undue pressure on the most valuable states in the region,” he said.
This week, however, Mr. Holder also expressed concern about the future success of the respective tourism industries of nations in the region.
“Today, the travel industry is focused on recovering from so many obstacles, such as a difficult world economy, the threat of terrorism and conflict, and global health issues,” said Mr. Holder while speaking about the conference, which runs October 14th – 18th.
“This is a crucial time for Caribbean tourism. The industry has gone through some very tough times in the last two years and we face an enormous challenge of nurturing it back to prosperity,” he added.
By Darrin Culmer, The Bahama Journal
