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We concluded our coverage of the first Annual Caribbean Tourism Summit (ACTS) Tuesday when the Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC) held its closing press conference at the International Trade Center in the Ronald Regan Building. The final tally of delegates was 320.
Sen. Allen Chastanet, Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), said he was pleased with the attendance but expects even more people to attend next year. “When we meet to decide where we will have this next year, I will recommend that we keep it (in Washington, D.C),” he says. “We got so much done here this year, but there are still a lot of doors that need to be opened.”
The major news out of the conference, however, was that delegates met with Congress and asked it to waive the $40 requirement that Caribbean travelers currently incur when vacationing. Delegates also asked that duty-free allowances be raised, and that there be more pre-clearance facilities in the Caribbean. The last request was perhaps the most significant since it would shrink crowds at airports and in turn may result in more flights to the region.