It could take between 12 and 16 weeks to process a passport.

One official of the World Travel and Tourism Organisation said countries which rely heavily on the US market may experience a reduction in American visitors.

Richard Miller named The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Aruba, British Virgin Islands and St. Kitts as countries which may be hit.

Starting in January 2007, U.S. citizens will have to show a passport or some other secure document that shows their identity and citizenship when they re-enter the country from the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico, Panama and Bermuda.

Currently, Americans need show only their drivers licences or a birth certificate when they re- enter from those countries.

The new requirement by the Department of Homeland Security is supposed to make it harder for "terrorists" to enter the U.S.

Mr Miller said he expected Americans, only 20% of whom have passports, will find the new rules a handicap.

Disincentives

US domestic tourism, including America's Caribbean territories, are expected to benefit if Americans turn their backs on the other Caribbean countries.

He said: "Americans are going to rebook to Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands or they're going to Texas or Florida or California."

Mr Miller said there will be a number of disincentives for the average US citizen and family to get passports.

First a new travel document will cost $125; then it could take between 12 and 16 weeks to process.

President of the Caribbean Hotels association Berthia Parle told BBC Caribbean Radio that the association had helped secure a one year stay of execution.

She said it was now up to island governments to press the case for a review of US travel policy.

However, tourism minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Glenn Beache, said he was puzzled by the blame being laid at the door of the governments.

A BBC reporter at the conference said the minister gave the impression of helplessness in the situation.