Caribbean
the answer for
nervous golf travelers
By Jason Stahl,
Staff Writer
OK, it's been a long winter and you can't wait to take your sticks
and head to some place other than Hilton
Head (been there) or Myrtle
Beach (done that) for a little links action. In fact, you want
to become an international man and go somewhere beyond the borders
of the good ol' U.S.of A.
But wait. Scratch that. An eighth trip to Orlando
looks pretty good right about now. There's a mysterious respiratory
illness spreading in Asia. Terrorists seem to be lurking everywhere.
And you're an American, which means you might as well put a bullseye
on you as soon as you hit foreign turf, right?
Relax. Take it easy, mon. International travel may not be as risky
as it seems, especially if you're heading to the Caribbean
Islands.
Marcella Martinez, owner of the public relations agency Marcella
Martinez Associates, Inc., represents the Tryall
Club in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
She offers three good reasons why travelers should have no fear
of venturing to this jewel of an island for a top-notch golf vacation.
 "First,
we are the nearest country to the U.S.," Martinez says, "only
one and a half hours from Miami.
Second, there are non-stop airline connections from all over Jamaica,
both scheduled and chartered. That means people don't have to hang
around airports as long. Third, you can be in constant touch with
home because all the villas (at Tryall) have phones and satellite
television. And there are also computers at the main clubhouse for
e-mail." Let's say you're one of those super jittery types,
a compulsive worrier. You're still not convinced that Jamaica is
as safe as a baby's crib, especially for an American whose country
(in some people's minds) wrongfully invaded Iraq. Well, it's time
to take a seat back in History 101.
"Jamaica isn't involved at all in the dispute," Martinez
says. "Because of its standing in the United Nations, it hasn't
had to take a position." Meaning, of course, that there's no
reason for those who hate the U.S. and anybody else on its side
to target Jamaica for attacks.
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| International travel
tips |
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Regardless of where in the Caribbean you plan
to hit the links, there are a few bits of advice you
should heed prior to embarking on your adventure. These
safety tips have been created by the U.S. Department
of State and can be viewed in their entirety in their
brochure, Department of State Publication 10942, Bureau
of Consular Affairs, March 2002. Also, check out www.state.gov.
What to bring on your trip. A lot of this is
common sense. Avoid appearing affluent by wearing flashy
jewelry. Bring travelers checks and credit cards instead
of cash. Put ID badges on your luggage.
What to leave behind. One general rule: Don't
bring anything you'd hate to lose.
Learn before you go. Check out the Department
of State's consular information sheets, which are available
for every country of the world. They describe entry
requirements, currency regulations, unusual health conditions,
the crime and security situation, political disturbances,
areas of instability, and special information about
driving and road conditions.
Things to arrange before you travel abroad.
Your itinerary, legal documents, credit and insurance.
Leave a current will, insurance documents, and power
of attorney with your family. Make a note of the credit
limit on each credit card you bring. And find out if
your personal property insurance covers you for loss
or theft abroad.
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If you still don't buy into this logic, Martinez recommends that you check
with the State Department to see if it has issued any recent advisories.
But how's this to help you get over your paranoia quickly: rates will
be going down 35 percent after April 15 (the off-season). And, with
sensitivity toward those wary of travel in these tumultuous times,
the Tryall Club has this offer: if you make a booking and either pre-pay
or plunk down a deposit, you can delay your trip for up to a year
without losing your money.
Resorts aren't the only ones being more sensitive to nervous travelers.
U.S.Airways, which offers direct flights to Jamaica and a number
of other destinations in the Caribbean,
has instituted a "Peace of Mind Travel Flexible Policy."
The policy allows travelers who purchase international tickets on
or before April 19 for travel through June 17 to make changes to
their itinerary without incurring a standard change fee. Travel
can then be rescheduled for on or before December 15.
If you're still not comfortable with teeing it up on foreign ground,
try the U.S. Virgin
Islands. That's right - the U.S. Virgin Islands. You cross the
border but you're still on American soil spending American currency.
The Buccaneer
Resort with its scenic golf course is a good bet.
"We're a self-contained resort on an island with excellent
infrastructure," says Vicki Locke, Buccaneer's Director of
Sales. "And you don't have to go through Customs on your way
in."
Puerto Rico is almost like being in your own backyard, too, as it is a
commonwealth of the U.S. That means that it is a political unit
that governs itself but is voluntarily united with the United States.
English is spoken everywhere there, and, like the Virgin Islands,
there's no currency exchange or immigration process. Kathy Casper,
Regional Director of Public Relations for Wyndham International,
Inc., adds that there are more flights coming into Puerto Rico from
the United States than any other island in the Caribbean.
Wyndham's El Conquistador Resort with Arthur
Hills-designed course is one of over 20 tracks in Puerto
Rico. As a result of Attorney General John Ashcroft 's initial
heightened security alert announcement, Wyndham required that all
of the property managers at its hotels beef up security so as to
heighten security awareness and make the hotels less attractive
targets to potential threats.
Despite what's been going on in the world, most resorts in the
Caribbean
report lucrative winter seasons with full bookings and minimal cancellations.
"I think the bad weather helped, and the fact that the war
only broke out a few weeks ago," Marcella Martinez says. "Plus,
there are lots of flights, good prices and communication. People
aren't quite as nervous. Maybe it's because we're not located that
far away."
Exactly.
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