British tax will affect hotel industry – Walsh

Photo credit: www.hideout.ch

An increase in Britain’s Air Passenger Duty (APD) is expected to cause greater problems for Dominica’s hotel industry, Simon Walsh  president of the Dominica Hotel and Tourism Association has said.

Travellers from British airports are now paying heavy taxes to fly to Caribbean destinations. The tax increase is said to be as high as 94 percent.

With arrivals from the United Kingdom making up only 6 to 7 percent of visitor arrivals in Dominica, the impact of the tax hikes, is not expected to hit hard here; but Walsh says hotels in Dominica, continue to be challenged by low occupancy rates and air access and the increased air tax will exacerbate the situation.

“It’s just one more problem that we’re having in the hotel industry,” he said. “It’s very, very challenging because the constraints that we’re facing are constraints that we have no control over, and that’s air access. There’s nothing a hotel can really do to improve the air access situation.”

According to Walsh it is often difficult for a hotel to get groups of twenty into Dominica, “and when they’re challenged and they find out how difficult it is strategically, they’ll often choose other destinations.”

British authorities say the measure was put in place to tax airlines’ carbon emissions. Caribbean leaders have argued that it will be damaging to Caribbean tourism since most of the region’s economies dependent heavily on visitors from the United Kingdom.

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13 Comments

  1. Anthony P. Ismael
    February 8, 2011

    We were complaining in New York when I paid $US 800.00 last year to fly home for summer vacation. I thought that was so exorbitant compared to the normal $US 600.00 that was customery a few years ago.

    These taxes are geared to ensure that Caribbean nationals who want to vaction back home essentially spend their money in London vs. the Caribbean Islands. This is punitive to say the least. I hope there is some type of resolution that eventually lower these taxes.

  2. DT
    February 8, 2011

    this is so sad,as it means our daughter will grow up seeing less of her dominican family, as with the cost of living here in the uk, there is no way we can afford £800 each per ticket, thats not includingl liat flights,

    i know people have suggested to fly via miami but thats still £600 each and with the flight to PR, then to dominica, it works out just as much, plus to do that ong journey with a 3 year old is totally out of the question, london to antigua or barbados -st lucia is long enough for her.

    so thank the lord for email, and skype, and nothing is the same as a nice sea bath, a river bath, and i so miss the hot water, :cry:

  3. kalinago observer
    February 7, 2011

    Just curious as to whether this measure is W T O compliant, if it is perhaps we may have to look through, using the french and Netherlands rooute to get to the Caribbean.

  4. Sunray
    February 7, 2011

    A hike in taxes to the Caribbean from the UK IS having an impact on tourism to the region which includes Dominica.
    Three problems make getting to Dominica from the UK increasingly difficult which really is a shame as there is so much to enjoy in the nature of the island and its people.
    1. Cost of flights. As an example a flight mid April to Dominica has increased 55% on the same period last year and is now £1063 including £263 in taxes.
    2. High Inconvenience of Liat connecting flights and changeable timetables. Returning to the UK, Liat leaves Dominica at 7.00am for Barbados where you’re hanging around the airport for the flight to London at 6.15pm.
    3.Accomodation cost with a few exceptions is overpriced and have to say that some of the owners need training in running their establishment.

    Roseau is a whole other story. Some of the restaurants need to be shut down, they’re a health hazard to the people who live here never mind visitors. Visit their toilets first to see how clean they are – I bet you wouldn’t want to eat in the restaurant afterwards.
    Customer service is non existent in all but a few places – this doesn’t encourage tourists who WANT to spend their money.
    Oh, and include all the airport staff at Melville Hall, the police and security in that customer service training as well, again with a few exceptions not helpful at all, in my opinion.

  5. Anti-dictatorship
    February 7, 2011

    He tripled tuition fees…stupid, the young ones will teach them a lesson they will never forget, hope that government falls apart…stupid.

  6. domincan to the bone
    February 7, 2011

    Tourism continues on its downward trajectory and WHAT may I ask are the stakeholders doing to avert it..SAME OLD We through Spaghetti on the walls and if it stick, then so be it.

    The country is dirty, the vendors are all falling all over the sidewalk, the beggars are everywhere, the costs of borrowing remains high, no incentives for the industry and so on and so on.

    SO sad to say but we going nowhere FAST

  7. Lougawoo Mem
    February 7, 2011

    Let not your hearts be troubled my fellow Caribbean people in Britain. There’s many ways to skin the cat. All you got to do is fly from the British isle to the US (Miami), and then onto your final destination. No problemo with that…. to hell with the Britts and their taxes. Don’t like their Social Welfare System anyway. What I know? I’m just the Lougawoo feeding on crab and calaloo in the Grand Bay woods.

    • Oops
      February 7, 2011

      The tax has increase on all Trans-Atlantic flights (North, Central, South America and the Caribbean).

  8. The truth
    February 7, 2011

    I think the airlines, at least the major ones will develop a way or some strategy to do sales
    And split the costs between destinations for some periods in the year but I’m afraid until something changes, most of the time it’ll be expensive. This just goes to show dcans who think that the people overseas from Dca that have it sweet have no idea what they talking about. Plus, they think what happens overseas don’t affect them. Look how British taxes affects their bread directly. So maybe they will think twice when they try to assume Dominicans overseas have no voice on what goes on in Dominica.

  9. Muslim_Always
    February 7, 2011

    David Cameron is a bigot. He placed the heaviest taxes on Brits going to the Caribbean so the Caribbean will be deprived of English pounds. Secondly, he makes it difficult for UK immigrants to visit their loves ones back home.

    Those who do evil, it leaves with them. Let him impose taxes still!

  10. natureisle
    February 7, 2011

    Only those here and now in the UK can really feel the brunt and full extent of what is happening ….. in 10 years of working within a local authority i have never seen anything like what is happening now.

    The coalition are on a Demolition…………:(

    As for access to D/A something needs to improve NOW!

    ….and why do the travel agents insist on passing their costs directly onto us the poor traveller…fares from the UK to D/A are astronomical what use to cost approx £1500 for a family of 3 is now in the region of £2500 for a summer break maybe even more depending on your dates and who you book with!!…..

    • The truth
      February 7, 2011

      I’m just happy that Cameron came in on a half chance and we get to see what he serving. So when he gone there will be no chance of removing labour fo the next 50 years. They decided to mess with the wrong age group. Thu messin with those who will be voting for the next fifty years. How stupid

  11. The truth
    February 7, 2011

    David cameron and his crap. Dont worry, his government won’t last and hopefully we will get back to normal. The coalition soon fall apart with do many people angry with practically 100% of his policies.

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