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Miami.– Caribbean tourism is threatening to sink as airline ticket prices soar and flights are sharply reduced, choking the flow of the vacationers that many tiny islands depend upon.
Tourism is the economic cornerstone of the Caribbean, which drew more than 15 million visitors last year.
Airlines are cutting back across the world as passengers balk at paying fares that have risen along with fuel costs. The Caribbean is particularly vulnerable because one foundering airline, American, controls much of the market –carrying more than 60% of passengers traveling through Puerto Rico last year.
American now expects to cut daily flights out of Puerto Rico's capital from 93 to 51 in September. Some flights will be cut to Santo Domingo, Samana, Antigua, St. Maarten and Aruba, spokeswoman Minnette Velez said.
Fewer flights to Puerto Rico also could also jeopardize the island's cruise ship industry, since it would be harder for passengers to reach the island to board. Ten cruise ships used Puerto Rico as their home port last year.
Rather than raise ticket prices so high that they're beyond the reach of most customers, American has decided to cut flights and reduce capacity, Velez said. "Traveling would be completely inaccessible if we increase fares as oil prices rise," she said.
Other carriers are making similar moves. Spirit Airlines recently said it would close its San Juan hub, and Continental Airlines expects to soon announce destination and flight cuts.
The Caribbean is still affordable for wealthy travelers, but resorts "that appeal particularly to price-sensitive families are in a world of trouble," said Christopher Hart, a professor at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.
The flight cuts are coming despite increases in tourism this year to most of the islands, including double-digit growth in U.S. visitors to Antigua, St. Lucia and Jamaica, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization. The Dominican Republic reported 407,000 U.S. tourists from January to April, a 6% increase from last year, and Puerto Rico reported increased airline passenger traffic as well.
Now many fear even more cuts, meaning the islands won't even have a chance to lure more tourists.
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But dirty, low down imperialist oil speculators at petroleum exchanges in NYC and London manipulate the price of oil higher and higher, driving the cost of these tourist services and accommodations above the given price range that attracts demand.
The industry waits for demand to "sink" into the Caribbean.
What is to be done?
If the outline above is correct, the Caribbean must find a way to take on the imperialist oil speculators and thereby take on mighty US imperialism.
Somehow cause this monster some pain.
Regionally switch the transaction currency for oil from US dollar to euro; transfer currency reserves, if any exist, from US institutions to, say, the Swiss; declare a unilateral moratorium on payment on the sacred foreign debt.
Do something.
Stop bowing, groveling, bending over, and tap dancing for the imperialists.
You realize that you are a Oil Speculator don't you? If you cross the street to buy gas at a cheaper station that makes you an evil Speculator.
Of course it is people like me who do it on a much larger scale. HeHeHe!!!
Courrsy of : http://www.dr1.com/#8
This for me is an old story, in the UK prices have been stupidly high now for around 6 - 9 months.
Enough for me to consider going to other places.
I'll still enjoy a holiday, but this time it won't be to the DR.
Somewhere closer to home. Norway, Paris, Venice, Rome, Moscow, you get the idea.