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Caribbean Discounts for Procrastinating Passport Applicants

While we're on the subject of Aruba and the Caribbean, there's been some new developments about your passport in those places.

In case you are an American who hasn't read a travel magazine or website in the past year, here's a news flash. You need to have a passport for all air travel to/from the U.S. as of January 1st. (Due to some late lobbying, cruises and U.S. border car trips are exempt for now.)

According to an article in the November 11 Wall Street Journal (subscription required), this has led to a new category of discount in the Caribbean: The Homeland Security Discount Vacation. Apparently some 74% of the hotel business in Aruba and 85% in the Bahamas comes from the U.S., for example, so the new passport requirement is creating lots of hand-wringing among hotel execs and tourism boards throughout the Caribbean. Some airlines are even planning to route some travelers to Puerto Rico if they show up at the airport without a passport in early 2007.

There's a silver lining for travelers: nice incentives during what is normally high season.

In Jamaica alone, more than 30 hotels are offering deals to people who have to renew or get new passports, including a $200 spa credit at Couples resorts. In St. Lucia, eco-resort Ladera says it will pay for the cost of a new passport and will toss in a free 30-minute massage and 'Juanderlust' cocktail.

If you're looking for a deal, ignore the countries that already required a passport anyway, the article says, including former or current French or Dutch colonies. Otherwise, passport or not, let the deal hunting begin!

[Photo: PooPooRama]