The slowdown in the economy has eaten holes in American wallets and reduced the amount of money available for travel.  The travel industry has taken a hit, but the silver lining is that they are trying to lure customers by offering incredible travel deals, too. Now, the governments of some of the island nations in the Caribbean on getting in on the act, offering some “economic stimulus” payments of their own to tourists, usually to the tune of around $200.00.

This post on WalletPop.com has all the details, including when the offers are valid and what you have to do to qualify for the payments.  If you want to learn more about a specific destination, check out this post on Destinations for Leisure, which profiles the best beach destinations in the Caribbean and includes most of the destinations that are offering the payouts.

Remember, except for Puerto Rico, which is a US territory, you’ll need a passport to visit these islands. Since many of the offers have expiration dates, it would be a good idea to get your passports expedited if you and your significant other/family are planning to take advantage of them.

You can get passports expedited through the government, but it will still take at least month, even if you pay for overnight shipping to and from the passport office. A faster way to get your passports expedited would be to use a private passport expediting company, which can have your passports processed in as little as 24 hours. Other, more affordable expediting options are available from these companies as well, if you have a little bit of breathing room before your departure.

Go somewhere new and exciting this summer-get your passports expedited today!