Cancun looking to minimize new passport rules

[stephen_s]

From Travelmole:

The Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) is asking local governments to join together to minimize the impact of new passport requirements, but the Cancun area has already gone ahead with a program to minimize the pending rules.

"Our campaign will reach virtually every American visitor vacationing in Cancun for the next three months," said Artemio Santos, chief executive officer for the Cancun CVB.

"We are reminding our visitors, as well as their friends and relatives, that passports will soon be mandated for US air travelers starting Jan. 8, 2007," he added.

Posters and coupons are being distributed to get the message out, he said.

Previously, American adults needed only a valid driver's license or birth certificate to go back and forth between the US, Mexico and most Caribbean islands.

The new passport requirements could cost the Caribbean $2.6 billion, according to studies by the CHA.

CHA President Peter Odle is asking the governments of the 17 Caribbean countries to come up with a strategy for coping with the new requirements.

Caribbean officials hope they can still delay the new rules.[/b]

[jimtbay]

WOW! 2.6 billion dollars potentially lost? I find it hard to believe that people will not get a passport to travel for a vacation. Do they think we will become non-travelers because we have to go out and get a picture taken at a drugstore that we visit weekly to put in a mini book that will be required for to leave the US? We all fill out more complicated forms at work or for a doctors visit.

Eventually people will miss their rum runners!

[Eileen Sellers]

The new passport requirements could cost the Caribbean $2.6 billion, according to studies by the CHA. [/b]


This would be due to illegals going back and forth, and now they won't be able to go home without a passport. This could be a one way trip to the US for them, unless they want to go home the same way they came.

[bodega]

Eileen, the passport requirements are for US citizens and for those wanting to enter our country. Illegal's will probably still be able to get home. Our area does a lot of one way travel into Mexico after harvest and from what I have checked, they will still be able to fly home.

[Eileen Sellers]

How will they re-enter the country without a passport?

[Ned]

Eileen, Mexican illegals, have always been able to return home easily from the US. Our new law on US citizens returning back to the US in no way impacts Mexican citizens returning to Mexico. Mexico has not passed a similar law requiring Mexican nationals to have a passport to reenter their homeland from the US.

[Eileen Sellers]

I still don't understand. How will an illegal Mexican fly back to the US from Mexico without a passpport?

Or is arriving illegally in the US now a one way trip?

[Kairho]

Who's on first?

[Ned]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eileen Sellers @ Oct 23 2006, 09:06 AM) 40710</div>
I still don't understand. How will an illegal Mexican fly back to the US from Mexico without a passpport?

Or is arriving illegally in the US now a one way trip?
[/b]
I've been misunderstanding your question Eileen, and I think we all have. When you said flying home for an illegal Mexican, we thought you meant flying home to Mexico.

[deangreenhoe]

Who's on first?
[/b]

And how did a conversation in "The Travel Tip Sheet" end up being about the politics of illegal immigration again? B)

[Ned]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(deangreenhoe @ Oct 23 2006, 09:33 AM) 40724</div>
And how did a conversation in "The Travel Tip Sheet" end up being about the politics of illegal immigration again? B)
[/b]
I think it was Jim's innocent ending sentences, "Eventually people will miss their rum runners!" which Eileen picked up.