Above: Barbados
By the Caribbean Journal staff
Barbados is considering offering a credit voucher against the cost of the British Air Passenger Duty, according to Tourism Minister Richard Sealy.
The credit voucher would apply to British tourists who book a stay of at least two weeks, according to Sealy.
The plan to introduce the voucher is part of a 10-point plan to boost the tourism sector in the country.
Sealy said it was one of several voucher ides that would “draw [results] immediately,” along with credits for energy costs for tourism and hospitality-related entities.
The Air Passenger Duty, which is levied on all flights originating in the United Kingdom, has led to stern opposition from the Caribbean, which charges that it indiscriminately calculates the taxes on trips to the region.
Sealy said the APD was one of the major concerns highlighted by hotel property owners in the country.
Earlier this year, the tax rose to $126 per person on a given economy-class flight to the Caribbean.
Caribbean high commissioners in the UK are readying to begin a renewed lobby against the tax, using about $63,000 in funding for a public awareness campaign.