Travel

Note: The week after the conference is Carnival and many flights and hotel rooms will be full—attendees are advised to book their travel and accommodations as early as possible.

Getting to Tobago

There are some international flights to Tobago's Crown Point International Airport (TAB), notably from London Gatwick and from Bardados, but most attendees will probably fly to Piarco International Airport in Port of Spain, Trinidad (POS) and connect to Tobago from there. Tobago Express operates 40 flights daily between Trinidad and Tobago (20 each way) at a cost of about $25 each way. They can be reached at +1 (868) 627-5160 or by email at callcenter@tobagoexpress.com. Flights can also be booked via Yes Tourism for a small fee, which might be more convenient.

Update: The Trinidad airport (POS) will be closed between the hours of 10pm and 6am from 29 January until 30 June. During this period, the last Tobago Express flight from POS to TAB will leave at 8:30pm in order to make it back to POS before the airport closes. We are looking into alternatives for attendees who arrive in POS too late to catch this last flight. At the moment the best solution seems to be overnighting at a guesthouse near the airport called Leo's Place. This can be arranged by Yes Tourism, which can also arrange the Tobago Express flights and airport transfers on both ends—the person there who handles reservations for both the guesthouse and the flights is Bärbel (Belle) Crosby. Another option is the Trinidad Hilton but going into the city can be a long commute, depending on traffic. Also in Port of Spain, the Courtyard Marriott has rooms available in the weekend before the conference if you call the hotel directly at +1 (868) 627-5555 (according to the international reservations line they are full).

Group discounts have been arranged for flights with airlines in the SkyTeam alliance (including Continental and Delta, which fly to POS) and for American Airlines. The American Airlines discount is also valid for other airlines in the oneworld alliance, but at least one leg must be flown with American. To get the SkyTeam discount, visit http://globalmeetings.skyteam.com/ and enter Event ID 0049S. To get the American Airlines discount, mention Discount Code A3927AX when booking your flight.

The SkyTeam discount is valid for travel in the period February 7–21, 2007 for 5% off discounted fares and 10% off full fares. The American Airlines discount is valid for travel in the period February 9–19, 2007 for 5% off the lowest applicable published fare (with some fare classes excepted).

Local Transportation

To get to the Hilton from the airport, simplest is to take a taxi. Please let the FC07 General Chair know when you are scheduled to arrive; if a number of attendees are arriving together on the same flight we will try to meet the group and travel together to the hotel.

Visa Information

Conference attendees are advised to check with the nearest Trinidad and Tobago Embassy for entry requirements (visa and travel documents). Much information is also available online. Nationals of EU countries, the USA, and Canada generally do not need visas for stays of up to 3 months.

Update: Due to the Cricket World Cup, the hosting countries (including Trinidad and Tobago) will be considered a single domestic space between February 1 and May 15, with a common visa policy. This policy applies to all visitors, not just those coming for cricket. Nationals of the US, Canada, South Africa, and certain EU countries (France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and the UK) do not require visas, nor do nationals of the hosting countries, but others will need a CARICOM Special Visa.