Fewer Brits are taking Caribbean holidays

Though the Caribbean islands have seen a general increase in visitors, the number of Brits taking Caribbean holidays has fallen. During the first half of this year, the number of Brits taking Caribbean holidays fell by 12.2% and one country in particular saw a 25% decrease.

Air Passenger Duty (APD) went up last November on long haul flights which could have contributed to the decline in British visitors to Caribbean islands. Air Passenger Duty is set to rise again in November 2010, which could prevent even more Brits from taking Caribbean holidays.

The chief executive of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, Hugh Riley, discovered the fall in numbers amongst British travellers. He is currently trying to persuade the government to reduce the APD on flights to the Caribbean to make holidays more affordable for British travellers. However, it's not certain that the fall in the number of British tourists to Caribbean islands is solely due to the rise in APD.

Air tax on economy flights to the Caribbean currently costs £50 for British travellers. If the rise in APD goes ahead in November, this figure will go up to £75. Mr Riley believes that the APD for Caribbean holidays should be reduced to match flights to the USA to make flights more affordable.

Last week, Caribbean holidays were disrupted by Hurricane Earl and many cruise liners diverted their trips to avoid the storm.

If you are planning a Caribbean holiday, make sure you factor Air Passenger Duty into your budget. If you are thinking of taking a Caribbean cruise during the Caribbean hurricane season (which runs from June to November) your trip may need to be diverted at the last minute if there is a hurricane brewing. When booking your holiday, bear in mind that hurricanes are most likely to occur in the month of October.

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