There are concerns that the Caribbean could be losing ground in the international tourism market. Destinations in Asia and Central America are said to be among the region's main challengers for the vital foreign exchange the industry brings. Figures for stay-over visitors in the region were down last year but some experts say it is not all bad news. The Caribbean has long established itself as a major tourism destination but it is now under threat from other destinations including Asia and Central America which also offer sun, sea and sand. According to the Caribbean Tourism Destination Organisation, last year some of the regions most popular destinations saw a decline in American visitors, 12 per cent in Jamaica, nine per cent in the US Virgin Islands and eight per cent in the Bahamas. President of the Caribbean Hotel Association Peter Ordle believes the region now needs to develop a more effective strategy to maintain its place in the world market. Mr. Ordle also points to a number of other challenges which contributed to the drop in arrivals. They include the new US passport rules, visa requirements for this year’s Cricket World Cup and high airfares. But the future may not be all doom and gloom for the region. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTT) is optimistic that there will always be a demand for Caribbean tourism. In its 2007 Travel and Tourism Economic Research the WTT says regional travel and tourism is expected to generate US$56 billion in economic activity this year and almost double that amount over the next ten years. Reprinted from radioja.com