CARIBBEAN: Jean Holder Receives International Support on Cruise Issue

For Immediate Release

Contact: Samira Cherrouk 202 296-9676
              scherrouk@counterpart.org
 
Photograph of Professor Ross Klein available at: 
http://www.mediaexchange.info/tmp/rklein.asp
 
Photograph of Mr. Lelei LeLaulu available at: 
http://www.mediaexchange.info/tmp/ll.asp

JEAN HOLDER RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT ON CRUISE ISSUE

WASHINGTON DC (September 19, 2003) – International specialists on Caribbean 
tourism have backed Jean Holder of the CTO for standing up to the cruise 
lines.  The Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) is 
staunchly defending the proposed US$20 per head cruise tax as a means to 
finance sustainable Caribbean tourism development.

"Right on!" was how Ross Klein, a Professor of Social Work at Memorial 
University of Newfoundland in St. John's, Canada reacted to Holder's charge 
that cruise lines have been allowed to operate in the Caribbean, using 
Caribbean facilities and assets, and making considerable profits, while 
paying only a small share of the cost of the resources they rely on.

Klein, who has written two books and many articles about the cruise industry, 
said "with its concern for Caribbean islands and local communities, I thought 
the cruise industry would have been anxious to support the Caribbean cruise 
ticket levy, especially because as a port fee and tax it is passed directly 
onto the customers."  He said that the added value to the cruise line is that 
the levy is to improve the infrastructure and welfare of Caribbean peoples, 
so the money will ultimately provide an enhanced experience for cruise ship 
passengers.

Michelle Paige, President of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), 
however warned that the Caribbean could become an uncompetitive cruise 
destination if it proceeded with the implementation of the head tax. 
"Taxation is a disincentive to travel. Taxation is never the way to go, 
especially in this economic climate," she told the Caribbean Media 
Corporation.

But Lelei LeLaulu, president of US-based Counterpart International, says the 
Caribbean had nothing to lose by coming together and levying the tax. "Ships 
will continue to cruise in the region and these revenues will go a long way 
to upgrade the product and protect the region's precious environment which is 
under severe threat from these mega liners. Eventually, the cruise industry 
will realise it's good for them, too, in the long run to contribute 
positively to a region that gives them so much.”

LeLaulu said the Caribbean ought to thank officials such as Jean Holder, 
Berthia Parle, President-elect of the Caribbean Hotel Association, St. Lucian 
government officials and former Air Jamaica Vice President, Allen Chastanet 
for speaking out on this important issue. "These eminent West Indians are 
long-term visionaries who care deeply about the socio-economic prosperity of 
Caribbean people and the region ought to side with them, not the cruise 
lines," he said.

Jean Holder said CTO is aware that teams from the FCCA have been making the 
rounds in the Caribbean and presenting their side of the case, somewhat 
aggressively, both to governments and to private sector suppliers, and so it 
is even more important for CTO, which represents the tourism interests of 
Caribbean people, to ensure that the Caribbean public and specifically those 
Caribbean suppliers to the cruise sector, have a fair and balanced view of 
what the issues are.

While the FCCA denounces the proposed tax in the Caribbean, Holder says very 
little is known about the very high taxes and fees that countries in North 
America and Europe impose on the very tourists who are traveling to the 
region. "The US government imposes taxes of US $42 on every ticket sold for 
travel by air out of the country. The World Travel and Tourism Council 
reckons that taxes included in tickets for travel from Europe are some 30 per 
cent of the value of the tickets. As we speak, European countries are 
considering an additional environmental tax on travel from Europe, with the 
tax for long haul trips to countries such as ours, being much larger than for 
shorter trips. It seems that it is alright for developed countries to tax 
consumers to meet their tourism and environmental development costs, but if 
Caribbean countries do so, this is in some way immoral."

Lelei LeLaulu, Professor Klein, Allen Chastanet and senior officials 
representing the Caribbean Hotel Association and the Caribbean Tourism 
Organisation are slated to address Counterpart's fifth Caribbean Media 
Exchange on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx) in Barbados, December 4-8, 2003. 

Other conference partners include Counterpart Caribbean, Caribbean Hotel 
Association, Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, Air Jamaica, 
Caribbean Hotel Association Charitable Trust (Life Needs the Caribbean), 
EarthVoice and the Caribbean Broadcasting Union. 

CMEx V is supported by Almond Beach Resorts, American Express, Bahamas 
Ministry of Tourism, Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, Barbados Tourism 
Authority, Bay Gardens Hotel, Black Entertainment Television, Central Bank of 
Barbados, Half Moon Montego Bay, Jamaica Pegasus, Ruder Finn, Sandals 
Resorts, Scotiabank, United Nations Population Fund, and Virgin Atlantic 
Airways. 
 
For further information, visit www.caribbeanmediaexchange.com .
ENDS