Taking advantage of the 29th Caribbean Tourism Conference (CTC) being held in Grand Bahama, Prime Minister Perry Christie impressed upon tourism ministers at the official opening Sunday night, to forge a united front to have the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) postponed another two years.
Thirty-three countries are represented at this year's conference which is being held in the Grand Ballroom at Westin and Sheraton Grand Bahama Island at Our Lu-caya Beach and Golf Resort.
The theme for this conference is "Cooperation innovation, rejuvenation: Creating a brand-new Caribbean."
Before officially declaring the event open, the prime minister conveyed his concern about the new U.S. initiative which is expected to come into effect on January 8, 2007.
Prime Minister Christie highlighted a number of key issues on which to ponder over the next few days, noting how happy The Bahamas is to play host to the annual tourism conference.
He pointed out that with the WHTI requiring all Ameri-can citizens travelling in and out of the United States to have a passport, it means that they will no longer be able to travel on their driver's licence and birth certificate or travel on impulse for a quick weekend getaway.
"Indeed if this issue can be resolved to our further advantage, it is essential that we, as a region, come together and speak with one voice," he said.
The nation's chief executive, who is also the head of the tourism committee of
the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), also pointed out the power of a united front witnessed by the cruise lines which had their time extended to June 1, 2009.
In fact, Prime Minister Christie told the more than two dozen Caribbean ministers present last night that reinventing Caribbean touri-sm means being more cooperative with each other.
"Those of us who remain affected by the WHTI must band together and mount a united effort to persuade the U.S. Department of Home-land Security to extend to us the same consideration given to the cruise lines," he said.
Prime Minister Christie declared that the Caribbean countries are obliged to unite and make an effort to overcome the challenge, no matter how difficult the task.
"This implementation should be delayed until June 2009 which will allow the new rules to be uniformly applied and the playing field levelled," he said.
The prime minister also suggested the U.S. waive its expediting fee for applicants to secure a passport quickly, allowing its citizens to obtain a passport in days rather than weeks.
Having had to change with the times in a post 9/11 world, Prime Minister Christie said security measures in the region have increased and new ones instituted.
He also noted that the largest industry in the world is travel and tourism and the Caribbean provides millions of Americans, Canadians and Europeans each year with an escape from the cold, from everyday pressures and the work routine.
Remarking that resilience is the Caribbean region's intrinsic nature, the prime minister said no matter what, it will rebound as it has in the aftermath of so many natural disasters and economic downturns in the past.
The way the region resolves the challenges together will allow the Caribbean countries continued success in trading in tourism with their neighbouring superpower, he revealed.
With the reality that the traditional hotel product has lost much of its relevance within the region in recent years, he also announced that traditional hotels have been adversely affected by a change in consumer taste.
Instead, consumers are moving toward vacation accommodation that favours residences over hotel rooms, he said.
These new developments throughout the Caribbean and other parts of the world are referred to as mixed-use resorts and call for new and innovative marketing ideas from each of the countries in the Caribbean as well as collectively as a region, he said.
Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe expressed delight that the CTC was back here and how important it was that Caribbean Touri-sm Organization (CTO) cared about those in the region.
Outgoing Chairman Pamela Richards thanked and commended the government and the people of The Bahamas for the warm and hospitable welcome extended to the CTO delegates on their return here.
She also announced that the day was an historic occasion for the organization with the selection of the new CTO Chairman Philip Pierre, of St. Lucia, thereby moving it "one giant step forward" in The Bahamas destination.
The evening ended with rave reviews from the impressive performances from the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band, the Bishop Michael Elden High School Choir, the National Youth Choir of The Bahamas and entertainment by Bahamian sensation Simeon Outten and the Freedom Band.
A welcome reception on the Great Lawn was held following the event as guests were serenaded by the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band.
By LEDEDRA MARCHE, Freeport News Senior Reporter
