Prime Minister Gaston Browne is proposing that OECS member states temporarily eliminate certain travel taxes during major festivals to encourage greater regional tourism and artist mobility.
Browne said the idea is part of a broader push to strengthen economic integration and improve air transportation within the Eastern Caribbean.
“There’s no reason, for example, why the governments within the OECS during those festivals cannot eliminate their travel tax, their head tax, for example, to drive down the costs,” he said.
The proposal, he explained, would make it more affordable for Caribbean nationals to travel to neighboring islands during peak events such as Carnival and music festivals, increasing visitor numbers and boosting spending.
“So that people can attend those functions, so you have greater participation, so that even the artists within the region can move and participate easier within these carnivals and these festivals,” Browne said.
He argued that reducing ticket costs during major cultural events could stimulate regional travel, strengthen cultural exchange and increase overall economic activity across participating countries.
The prime minister framed the suggestion as part of a wider strategy aimed at improving connectivity and supporting the integration movement within the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.
While no formal policy has been adopted, Browne said the concept is among several ideas being discussed to improve intra-regional travel and economic cooperation.
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