Caribbean tourism chief denounces U.S. visa denial

Gregor Nassief, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), has publicly denounced the United States for denying his visa renewal. Nassief, a Dominican businessman and CEO of GEMS Holdings Limited, which owns several resorts in Dominica, stated that a U.S. official explicitly cited travel prohibitions against Dominica as the reason for the denial.

Nassief's 10-year visa was set to expire in August, but his wife's visa, which expires in two weeks, was also denied. He expressed concern over the implications for his technology company with new U.S. offices and for his 87-year-old mother-in-law living in Florida. These restrictions stem from U.S. President Donald Trump's concerns about vetting processes for the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program in Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda.

The CHTA president emphasized the profound human impact of these visa denials. He shared that individuals have been denied entry for critical events like a child's graduation or a funeral. Nassief noted that the visa situation has broader implications for the entire Caribbean, affecting access to healthcare, education, and family unity. He encouraged others to attempt to obtain visas, hoping his case might be an isolated one.

"This is absolutely significant," Nassief stated, highlighting the impact on tourism and business. "From a tourism and business perspective, obviously, there is a lot of investment. There are many conferences. There are many relationships and contacts that we must establish as entrepreneurs, as members of the tourism industry."

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Tengo una empresa de software y tecnología en Latinoamérica y acabamos de abrir oficinas en EE.UU., una inversión importante. Y he dedicado mucho tiempo a apoyar esa iniciativa. La madre de mi mujer, nacida en Nicaragua, tiene 87 años y vive en Florida