War and a Slowdown Empty Caribbean Beaches

Just as tourists to the Caribbean were getting used to new travel realities in the post-Sept. 11 environment, other global events have caused yet another downward slide in the fortunes of the scenic island nations. First, the general slump in the American economy has meant fewer tourist dollars for countries such as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. And now the war on Iraq has discouraged all but the most optimistic European vacationers from making the trip across the Atlantic. The traditional response to such a slowdown might be to run a highly visible advertising campaign, but, as one Caribbean businessman says, "it is wrong to blast away with advertisements. People are at war." – YaleGlobal