p6-7 CHTA&TF confs jan23 21/1/09 20:18 Page 6
news travel gives back campaign
TTG’s Fair Fares campaign opposing new plans for APD has won high-profile support in
the Caribbean. By Philippa Jacks at Caribbean Marketplace in St Lucia and Chris Gray
Caribbean backs Fair Fares
TTG’s Fair Fares campaign to reform Air Passenger
Duty so it does not unfairly hit developing coun-
tries has won top-level backing in the Caribbean.
UK operators joined Caribbean hoteliers and
politicians at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism
Association’s Caribbean Marketplace this week
to support our call for a fairer APD.
Hundreds of people at the event signed the
petition, including the prime minister of St Lucia. Chastenet: “Important not Taker: “This comes at a De Marchena Kaluche: Whitehead: “We fully Lynch: “The rise in APD is
Proposed APD changes mean tourists flying to to put up trade barriers” bad time for Caribbean” “Tax will hit tourism” back TTG’s campaign” a disaster for Caribbean”
Hawaii would pay less tax than those flying to the
Caribbean, even though Hawaii is nearly twice “What we need in the Caribbean is jobs.
the distance from London. Tourism is the only industry in which we are com-
Speaking at the marketplace in St Lucia, John petitive. Better that we maintain that than we
Taker, Virgin Holidays’ purchasing director, said: lose it and then you give us charity donations.”
“It’s unfair. This couldn’t have come at a worse Jamaica Tourist Board chairman John Lynch
time for the Caribbean, and despite consultation, said the Caribbean Tourism Organisation was
the government doesn’t seem to have listened.” planning to send a delegation to the UK.
St Lucia tourism minister Allen Chastenet “It’s a disaster. Prime ministers around the
added: “We are a zero carbon contributor and Caribbean are being asked to write to the
we’re being impacted on by emissions. Taxes will relevant people,” he said.
be lower to fly to the US, which is a high emitter. “What TTG is doing is very commendable.”
“We’ll be supporting what TTG does. The UN Elite Island Resorts’ European managing
said it’s important not to put up barriers to trade, director, Paula Whitehead, added: “We are in full
yet here the UK’s putting a tax on a major export.” support of TTG’s campaign. Our hotels in islands
CHTA president Enrique de Marchena Kaluche such as Antigua and St Lucia rely heavily on
said the UK’s APD must be reconsidered. families travelling and, as it stands, the increase
TTG ’s Fair Fares campaign
“This tax will badly hurt the tourism industry in APD will devastate the market.”
in the Caribbean, and in some places tourism
Join our campaign. Sign the petition at
represents 70% of that country’s GDP,” he said. vel Gives Back, p38
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/APDtax
■ Get involved with Tra
SuperClubs to drop two brands
Virgin reports
SUPERCLUBS is to undergo a major rebranding Montego Bay. SuperClubs has decided not to
Caribbean rise
in November, axing its Grand Lido and Starfish renew the lease on that property.
brands to create more of its core Breezes Paul Verhaak, the company’s sales and VIRGIN Holidays has reported that its Caribbean
properties, writes Philippa Jacks. marketing vice-president for Europe and Asia, sales have started the year strongly.
Paul Pennicook, the new president of said there will be a “lifting up” of the Starfish “Bookings were up for the first 15 days of
Lifestyles Inc, which represents SuperClubs, told property to make it “premium all-inclusive”. January compared with last year, so there is a
delegates at Caribbean Marketplace that research He said SuperClubs would inform UK agents market out there,” said the operator’s purchasing
among travel agents and customers indicated of the changes via trade advertising and online director, John Taker, at CHTA.
Breezes was far better known than the five-star agent training. However, he confirmed that booking trends
Grand Lido and three-star Starfish brands. had changed: “The lead-in time has come down
Grand Lido Negril in Jamaica will become on average by about a month for the Caribbean.
Breezes Grand Negril Resort & Spa on November 1. CHTA Caribbean Marketplace 2009 There’s a definite trend towards booking later.”
Grand Lido Braco will become Breezes Rio ■ Held in St Lucia on January 18-20 Virgin Holidays announced at CHTA that it
Bueno Resort & Spa from the same date. Starfish ■ Attended by 1,366 delegates... is to work with The Travel Foundation on a new
Trelawny will become Breezes Trelawny. ■ ...from more than 20 countries sustainable tourism project in the Caribbean,
November 1 will also see the closure of Breezes following the success of a programme in Cyprus.
06 23.01.2009
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