Beginning next month all air travelers from the United States, Mexico, Canada and other Western Hemisphere countries must have valid passports to enter the U.S. — a departure from the long-standing rule that allowed drivers licenses or birth certificates as valid forms of identification.

The impending enforcement of the new regulation, which officially begins Jan. 23, prompted the Travel Industry Association of America to launch a new Web site (getapassportnow.com) Monday that is designed to simplify information about the passport-application process.
"We don’t want anyone to be surprised by the new requirements," said TIA President Roger Dow. "No one’s vacation or business trip should be ruined because they didn’t know they needed a passport."

For Orlando, the rule — which eventually will affect cruise and land travelers as well — affects many of its visitors. In 2005, more than 600,000 Canadians visited the area by air or car. Figures were not available for visitors from Mexico.

The rule, aimed at closing a security loophole as part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative mandated by Congress, isn’t expected to have a major impact on airline bookings, TIA Vice President Rick Webster said.

Many airlines have spent much of the past year trying to get the word out to customers.

Delta Air Lines, for example, recently began flying directly from Orlando to Mexico City.

Delta spokeswoman Gina Laughlin said the airline has promoted the upcoming passport requirement on its Web site, during the hold music and messages on its phone lines and directly to its frequent-flier SkyMiles members.

There is reason for concern among tourism operators, however, as the date for enacting the same passport rule for cruise and land travelers moves closer.

Earlier this year, the deadline for cruise and land travel was extended from January to 2009. But officials said Monday that the rule will likely be enacted sometime in 2008.

In the United States, just 27 percent of the population is estimated to have valid passports. In Canada, the figure is higher at 40 percent.

"Still, a large majority of the population does not have passports," Dow said.

Starting Jan. 23, travelers — including U.S. citizens returning to the United States by air from throughout the Western Hemisphere — will be required to have passports. This new requirement includes Americans, Canadians and others who have previously been exempt from having to carry a passport to enter or re-enter the U.S. Certain alternatives will be acceptable for low-risk and other eligible travelers.

The federal government has not set an exact date, but passports will be required for "sea" or cruise passengers entering or re-entering the U.S. on the same deadline as for land border crossings — some time before June 1, 2009. Cruise travelers also will have the option of using the Passport Card, which is being developed.

In conjunction with the cruise deadline, a passport or other qualified travel document will be required at all land border ports-of-entry prior to June 1, 2009. But no exact date has been set.