The current departure tax is just under $30pp, but from April 1 this will rise by $38pp and a $35pp airport development fee will be introduced, making a total increase of $73pp.

A letter from the tourist board to operators says “the tax will apply to all bookings ticketed after March 15, 2017” and urges that all existing bookings be ticketed before March 15 “to avoid the tax increase”. It adds: “We understand this may impact clients who have booked, but are not due to be ticketed until after March 15.”

Tour operators, which fear they may have to absorb the cost on packages already booked, met with tourism officials in London last week to lobby against the proposed move.

“They are asking tour operators to absorb it – we had a meeting with them, but it ended inconclusively,” said one operator which did not want to be named. They added that the rise would damage the three-star market and the Caribbean’s call to reduce UK Air Passenger Duty.

A Kuoni spokesperson said: “We are aware of the new airline taxes to St Lucia and there will understandably be some increase to the cost of holidays. As one of Kuoni’s top-selling Caribbean islands it remains a firm favourite; particularly for honeymooners… so we expect bookings to remain solid.”