The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) is suggesting that Jamaica be pulled from a Caribbean Community (Caricom) decision to require a special visa for visitors coming to the region during the ICC World Cup Cricket tournament beginning March.

Horace Peterkin, president of the umbrella grouping, said the industry would prefer if Caricom abandons the visa requirement, but if it did not, Jamaica should put its national interest first and go it alone.

Peterkin accused the regional grouping of sacrificing the Caribbean tourism industry “for 58 days of cricket” and doing so without consulting with the tourism ministers, the tourist boards or the embassies of the region.

“We know that security is a main concern to the ICC and our governments, but protecting a few months of cricket versus losing years of sweat equity, reputation, and confidence of these markets along with the immediate income of the stakeholders (some of whom could go out of business) is a very hard pill to swallow,” Peterkin wrote in a letter to Jamaica’s tourism minister, Aloun Assamba.

He predicted “massive and immediate cancellation of all forward bookings” from countries which are now required to get Caricom visas, touching: all USA and Canadian residents, residents of certain European, Central and Eastern European countries, South and Central America and all African and Arab countries.

“This matter is a grave one which needs to be explained to Jamaica. Caricom has done it again… this time in the name of 58 days of World Cup Cricket… How this could happen is beyond all of us in the industry,” said Peterkin, who is also general manager of the Sandals Montego Bay resort.

Assamba was in Barbados yesterday attending a meeting on the contentious visa issue and was unavailable for comment. She is due to return to the island today.

Peterkin said Assamba would be making an announcement on the decision taken by the meeting but he appeared to be preparing the association for a major assault on the visa decision, if it is not cancelled by Caricom.

“If Caricom is not able to cancel the ruling, which comes into effect on January 15, 2007 (and lasts until May 31), then Jamaica should break away from the grouping in the interest of protecting its long-term interest,” he said.

In a brief to the tourism minister before she left for the meeting, the JHTA warned that the fallout from the visa requirement could also include: loss of airlift to Jamaica from the affected regions and countries; cancellation of future charter operations from the affected regions; widespread bad press internationally; an immediate end to the inclusion of Jamaica in all tour operating programmes in the affected countries, in favour of islands which do not have such regulations, for example, the Dominican Republic; and loss of market share.

The letter also listed other possible repercussions like liability lawsuits from tourism companies and airlines which have invested in Jamaican tourism programmes from the affected regions, “for financial losses they will incur”, and from the travelling public; creation of ill-will and lack of confidence with overseas tourism ministries and tour operators and travel agencies in the affected countries, “that will be irreparable”.

“The impact would be felt for years. We would have to start from scratch to rebuild those markets. The travelling public would not suddenly realise in May that they don’t need visas anymore. Local firms and hotels with heavy investments in the affected markets would go out of business, and jobs and investments would be lost,” Peterkin told the minister.

“We would lose our Winter Season, during which the island enjoys its highest revenues per visitor, and highest occupancy levels, and the far-reaching effects would affect next summer as well,” he cautioned.

The JHTA also questioned the rationale of charging US$100 for visas, which is US$80 more than normal, saying visitors would resist it “as extortion”.

The group asked why the visa requirement was not restricted to visitors coming only for cricket and planning to travel around the islands, as against other visitors.

“The plan to establish a website to facilitate on-line visa processing is a step in the right direction, but will it be able to cope with a flood of applications?” he asked.

“The online option is great, only if it can be granted online and approval is given for the “authorisation letter” to be issued in one day. It may still take up to three weeks to process so it is not a solution at all. We do not even have three weeks until the whole process goes into effect,” the association complained.

“Furthermore, and most importantly, the travelling public does not know they even need the visa! What plans are there to launch an education programme worldwide? Is it our obligation to do so?”

The JHTA said it was also concerned about what would happen to persons who already had confirmed bookings but cannot get visas.

“Who is accountable to refund them for the holidays they cannot take? The airline tickets that are non-refundable, the hotel rooms that are non-refundable?”

It added that currently most British high commissions in Europe had no knowledge of the Caricom visa, neither do tour operators nor travel agencies, “or even many tourist board offices of the affected islands”.

Peterkin suggested that one possible solution could be that visitors to Jamaica be allowed to continue on the same visa agreements that currently exist, and those who wish to travel on to the other “cricket islands” could opt to purchase a Caricom visa, which had to be applied for in advance through the relevant high commissions.

“I am sorry for the ministers of tourism who have been given basket to carry water on this decision,” said Peterkin, “but we have to act in the best interest of Jamaica.”