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| By: Jermine Abel in Antigua and Barbuda, SKNVibes.com |
THE Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has welcomed recent moves by Barbados and St. Lucia to reduce taxes on intra-regional travel—long seen as a major barrier to regional connectivity.
CHTA President Sanovnik Destang, along with other regional stakeholders, has been advocating for years to lower travel-related taxes, which often make ticket prices prohibitively expensive. In many cases, taxes account for more than the cost of the airfare itself.
Since taking over the regional body, Destang and his predecessor, Nicola Madden-Greig, have consistently lobbied for this change. The recent steps by Barbados and St. Lucia are being hailed as progress.
“We seem to have had a bit of a breakthrough, because I know that Barbados and St. Lucia both agreed that in this summer, from June to December, they’re gonna cut the taxes on regional travel in half, because Inter-Caribbean travel is very important now, given what we see geopolitically,” Destang told reporters at a press conference in St. Johns.
The announcement comes amid growing concerns over economic uncertainty and potential tariffs, with the U.S.—the region’s primary tourism source—facing a possible recession.
Speaking in Antigua and Barbuda from the CHTA’s Marketplace event, Destang emphasized the opportunity to boost intra-regional travel. He also revealed that Prime Minister Gaston Browne may consider following suit.
“Hopefully, we’re able to convince him, because he was not aware of what Barbados and St. Lucia had done. And he’s saying, would it be great if we could all cut our taxes on regional airlift? I said, ‘well, funny you said that, two of us have’.”
Discussions are ongoing, with urgency, as industry experts point to airport modernization and expansion costs as contributing factors behind high travel fees.
In response to a question from SKNVibes News about further government commitments, Destang clarified:
“St. Lucia and Barbados are cutting their taxes in half to 50% for intra-Caribbean travel from June to December. They have announced that. Have we gotten commitments? Not anything that is legislated.
Even St. Lucia’s own, was a budget announcement.
The legislation still has to go through. I think Barbados’ own is already through.”
The issue was a key topic at this week’s Marketplace forum, and Destang expressed optimism that it would not be another “talkshop” with no follow-through.
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A 15 minute flight from Antigua to Montserrat is $350 US, and who is going to small places like Montserrat that’s not even a tourist destinations, isn’t it the same locals and family members that are connected to these types of islands?
So why would a flight to such islands would be so high?
Take your foot off the peoples neck you greedy governments. The white man came and literally drove us into the ground, while they alone enjoy the luxuries of the beautiful Caribbean, and you greedy governments continue that corrupt dirty practice up to this day.
It’s a damn shame that the normal people in the Caribbean can’t even afford to go see their family members that are just a stone throw away, a damn shame.
Isn’t it in Antigua and Barbuda, that locals are blocked from going to some of their own island beaches? It’s time to stop that practice in the islands.. enough is enough.
So Gatson Browne, this is not an original thought by you, the locals have been crying out to their governments for years to ease the pressure and let people get a chance to live, but you corrupt bastards do not listen..
I’m not a trump fan, but at least his tariffs threats are not forcing y’all hands to do better by y’all people..
It shouldn’t have to take this, but I’m happy that it’s exposing y’all wickedness and greed, just like COVID did.
Same as the CIP. Billions are raked in, but the regular man cannot get a taste of that money. It’s time for it to stop. Corruption must be stamped out, period.
So yes Gatson, instead of announcing Air connectivity to Africa, focus on your people for once. I’m sure that the missing lady that was found in Trinidad, the family couldn’t even afford to pay for that accommodation to bring their love one home. And don’t even talk about if it is to medivac someone for treatment, 99% of locals can’t even afford such an event, so the people just are left to suffer.
Fix the damn issues Gatson, because they certainly can be fixed, no excuses.
Enough is Enough.