British citizens who plan to travel to the Caribbean will have to dig deeper into their pockets as the Air Passenger Duty (APD) implemented by Britain is being increased again.
All increases will take effect in April 2013, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osbourne said on Wednesday in the British Government’s Autumn Statement.
The tax was hiked in April 2012 by 8 percent.
According to Osbourne, tax on all long-haul flights and in premium cabins including those to the Caribbean will rise by £2 (EC$9) per passenger.
The levy on short-haul economy flights will remain at £13 (EC$56), however the UK government introduced a new tax rate for private jets, which were previously exempt from the APD.
Passengers on flights with fewer than 19 seats will have to pay £52 or EC$225 to £376 or a little over EC$1,600, depending on the length of flight, Osbourne said.
The APD has been consistently criticized by tourism interests, with President and Chief Executive Officer of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), David Scowsill, describing it as ‘a disease.’
Caribbean countries are on record as pointing to the impact of the APD – they along with the Caribbean Tourism Organisation contend that the tax has resulted in declining numbers of Britons visiting the Caribbean.
The Caribbean countries continue to denounce the tax as discriminatory and harmful to their tourism prospects.
Earlier this year, St. Lucia’s prime minister Kenny Anthony wrote to Osbourne telling him of the “deleterious effect” the tax has on Caribbean economies.
Last year, Dominica’s Tourism Minister, Ian Douglas, described the tax as “really unfortunate.”
The APD, instituted in 1994, is a British environmental tax aimed at offsetting aviation’s carbon footprint.
This is the bottom line. It is ok for DOMINICA to levy a higher Exit Tax on Foreigners to exit Dominica legally but is is NOT ok for Britain to levy a higher tax on the citizens to travel out of their country not just to the Caribbean but to any where in the world… This is all about bottom line. everyone want to raise money for their national economies… so what’s the big deal. We do not effectively market Dominica as a tourism destination to Brittons anyway, we do not even have an airport capable of landing British airways…lol
ALAS PAPA
I really think its time we all Dominican and the wider carbbean move back to our home land. Lets go back and till our soil eat what we grow. there are enough caribbean island to vacation on. if you want to feel like you are in a big city go to guadeloupe, trinidad. If you feel like sand and sea go to barbados, anguilla and st. marteen.
its time
The Caribbean island should terminate their membership of the commonwealth because it is quite clear that Britain does not care about the impact this decision has. It was the bananas and this.
It is time the Caribbean with one voice seek alliances with those that willing to help us and not those that pretend to care.
LEAVE THE COMMONWEALTH. I AM SURE THIS ACTION WILL CONCERN THE QUEEN.
since we can now fly to france visa free.. i suggest.. fly to france.. and take the train to england.. simple..lol..
This tax is designed to force British citizens to vacation at home instead of traveling to the Caribbean. Another tourism issue to deal with.
Very true! Also, these countries are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising promoting staycations and here we are in Dominica year after year with a budget of ten dollars EC, thinking we are in the game.
this is an attempt by the powers in Britain to cripple us economically. this effectively makes travel more expensive . thus our tourism sector will be further decimated.
LOL!!!!!!! check the difference in language:
Kenny Anthony – “deleterious” (noxious, sickening, vomit-inducing, etc etc etc)
Ian Douglas – “unfortunate”
You go Ian! You fight for us! sssssssscccccchhhhhhhhhtttuuuuuuppppeeeessssssss
@ ANONYMOUS
100% agree….words like must send shivers down Mr Osbourne’s spine….WHAT A JOKE.
This is what happens when sit on hands to much instead of wagging your fingers at people. You get zero respect
Shameful isn’t it? Ian is happy to comment but afraid to confront Osbourne…we’re not even worth words on paper! Smh!
i prescribe a return to colonialism as a remedy.
How is that a remedy? The British have several territotries in the Caribbean and they too are subjected those rules…
This is an extremely selfish act by the British Government and will over years to come hurt the tourism industry in the entire Caribbean. Strange tough, the way they worked out the ‘banding’. It means that passengers to the Caribbean pay the same in tax as somebody that goes to Los Angles for example, even though that is much further away. At least when the US Government tells the Brits somethings they listen and obey, to hell with the former colonies! They have in past always been a two-faced’ nation and will remain so in the future!
Why should the British Government give a hoot about Dominica? So they must mind their economy and ours too? What a welfare mentality!
Britain is seeing to her interests. Are we seeing to ours?
What are YOU demanding that your representatives do? Have YOU demanded they tell us their plans to help Dominican tourism stakeholders circumvent this “deleterious” policy? THAT’S what you should be doing not blaming Britain.
Actually, Dafriend, those travelling to LA and Hawaii pay a lower tax than those travelling to Dominica, which makes it even more unfair.
and its only dominica and one other carribean country that charge for passengers traveling to the us.i travel alot and i didnt have a choice but to call american airline customer service and was shock to get the news.
Fear not…the Argentine government tell Skerrit that to show their appreciation for him supporting their claim to the Falklands, Argentine tourists will make up for the shortfall in British tourist revenue…so we gwan be just fine!
T{he British are Racists: Plain and Simple.
Then stop buying our FIG, our good BRITISH friends.
I think you will find they hardly buy them anymore.
Our friends forever the BRITISH.
Way papa!