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Aruba Woos Visitors, if They've Got Passports

Revamped passport rules that make it harder to travel aren't usually the kind of thing that excite us. But a group of clever hoteliers in Aruba plans to make the best of an otherwise bad situation. You see, starting on January 8, 2007, all travelers leaving the US will need a passport, even if they're headed to countries like the Bahamas, Panama or--you guessed it--Aruba. Previously, you only needed a photo ID and maybe a birth certificate to get back into the US. What's the big deal? Well, aside from the monumental headache involved in filling out the forms and waiting up to eight weeks, it now costs $97 to apply for a passport. All this for a little book containing an easily hackable microchip!

Now the good news: To combat what they expect will be a drop in tourism from the US, five Aruban hotels are offering up free food and car rental vouchers for guests that get down to Aruba before the end of 2007. The goodies run in the $25-$75 range, so they won't cover the cost of your passport fees, but if you've already got your little blue book, take advantage of the situtation. Details available from the hotels: Westin Aruba Resort, Spa & Casino, Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino, Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort, MVC Eagle Beach and Boardwalk Boutique Hotel Aruba.

[Photo: atomicshark]

Related Stories:
· New Requirements for Travelers [Travel.State.Gov]
· E-Passports: Snazzy, Useless, and Coming Soon [Jaunted]