(BBC) Caribbean countries are forging an international alliance to fight soaring increases in Britain’s controversial air passenger tax.
Members of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation have used a big annual tourism fair in London to push their case that the distance-based duty penalises long-haul destinations.
The CTO has submitted its own proposals for what they say is for a more equitable reform of the tax, which has been blamed in part for a decline in visitors from Britain to the region.
An increase to the tax which the British government has said is meant to offset carbon emissions has hiked the cost of fights to the Caribbean by more than 50%.
The British government information website (direct.gov) states that “since November 2009 there have been four destination bands used to calculate APD.
“These bands are based on the distance between London and the capital city of the destination country or territory.
“Each band has two rates of duty depending upon the class of travel.”
Caribbean countries are in Band C, while the USA – including Hawaii – are in Band B, which is much less expensive.
APD Bands and Rates
Band A 0 to 2,000 miles £12 – £24
Band B 2,001 to 4,000 miles £60 – £120
Band C 4,001 to 6,000 miles £75 – £150
Band D Over 6,000 miles £85 – £170
Too expensive
Caribbean tourism officials have been arguing that it will make the cost of travelling to the region from the UK too expensive, resulting it fewer British tourists and a knock-on effect for Caribbean economies.
At the annual World Tourism Market taking place in London this week, Caribbean tourism officials hosted a forum attended by several other countries variously affected by the tax.
“We had countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand,” the CTO chairman, St Kitts and Nevis Tourism Minister Ricky Skerritt, told BBC Caribbean.
That resulted in a joint appeal to the British government to a review the controversial tax.
The issue has also been refered to the United Nations tourism body, The World Tourism Organisation.
Caribbean nations have submitted proposals to Britain for changes to the controversial air passenger duty.
In its reform proposals, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation recommends a re-banding of the tax – to remove what it says are unfair charges on long distance destinations.
Counter-productive
Ed Bartlett, the Jamaica Tourism Minister argues that the hike in the APD could harm the British economy itself.
“I think that they are going to realise that pursuing the APD in its current form is going to be counter productive.”
The Jamaican official suggested that there could be a move to shift the European travel hub from London’s Heathrow airport – the busiest in Europe – to perhaps Madrid in Spain.
