London, UK – A high level Caribbean delegation has concluded a visit to Britain with an assurance from the Government that the Caribbean will be included in the consultative process on any changes to the troublesome Air Passenger Duty (APD ).
The Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Secretariat arranged the highly effective London mission of six Caribbean tourism Ministers led by the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Hon. John Maginley of Antigua & Barbuda, to continue pressing for a fairer passenger tax system in the UK. The other members of the delegation were Hon. Richard Sealy of Barbados, Hon. Glynis Roberts of Grenada, Hon. Edmund Bartlett of Jamaica, Sen. Richard Skerritt of St Kitts and Nevis, Sen. Allen Chastanet of Saint Lucia and Hugh Riley, the CTO secretary general.
While in London, the delegation met in frank and detailed sessions with the UK’s Ministers responsible for Transportation, The Treasury, Tourism and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. In addition, meetings were held with the main travel industry associations, including the British Air Transport Association (BATA) and the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), as well as with British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, the High Commissioners of Australia and New Zealand, the Caribbean Diplomatic Corps, the Caribbean Diaspora Leaders, and an amalgam of Diplomatic representatives from African and Asian countries.
“We are very pleased to have had the opportunity to present our case at the highest levels within the British government, who appeared empathetic to our concern that the APD increase is seriously threatening the health of the British market for long-haul tourism” said Chairman Maginley.
“We were able to focus the new British Government and the UK’s travel industry executives on some of the APD’s impacts on the Caribbean and on the UK, and suggested possible changes. The Government gave us the assurance that they will continue to engage us as they consider changes to the tax,” the CTO chairman added.
A key part of the Caribbean strategy is to engage Caribbean Diaspora leaders and influencers throughout the UK to continue to urge their MPs to take action on the APD. In addition, the CTO plans to work with Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth countries affected by the APD, particularly those with large Diaspora communities in the UK, to apply the same level of engagement.
“We will continue to keep our Diaspora energised and seek the assurance that the Commonwealth is motivated to be involved in this matter,” said Chairman Maginley.
The Caribbean’s effort received widespread media coverage, with the UK‘s nationwide news service, The Press Association, as well as The Daily Telegraph and travel specialist press such as Travel Weekly, Travelmole and Travel Trade Gazette among those covering the story.
