Belize promotes responsible tourism

Belize tourism authorities are determined not to kill the goose that lays the golden tourism egg.

The country says it’s committed to safeguarding its environment, which has always been a cornerstone of the tourism trade in a country that has large expanses of rainforest and the world’s second-longest barrier reef.

“Belize has long been an eco-first destination, well before it was an industry buzzword, and we are keen to strengthen Belize’s position as a thought leader in sustainable and regenerative travel,” says Evan Tillett, director of tourism for the Belize Tourism Board. “Programs with organizations, such as Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA) and Oceana are working hard to protect our Belize Barrier Reef and simultaneously create opportunities for visitors to experience the reef in a respectful, immersive, and meaningful way that aids in the preservation of this great destination asset. The Fish Right Eat Right initiative focuses on sustainable seafood targeting hotels and restaurants to help match consumer demand for legal, healthy products and also help restaurants identify alternative seafood options for consumption that reduce fishing pressure on species that are over-exploited, threatened, or endangered.”

Belize has made numerous other environmental initiatives, including creating the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Preserve, the world’s first sanctuary designed for jaguars. The southern Belize refuge covers around 150 square miles and may be home to as many as 200 of the large cats.

Моrе than 983,000 travellers vіѕіtеd Belize bу lаnd, ѕеа, and аіr іn 2022, the fіrѕt full уеаr wіth vіѕіtоr ѕtаtіѕtісѕ rесоrdеd bу thе tоurіѕm Воаrd ѕіnсе the onset of thе СОVІD-19 раndеmіс.

The Central American country is particularly accessible to Canadians during winter, with Air Canada flying direct from Toronto on a weekly basis and WestJet having two direct flights a week from the Ontario capital. Both operate November through April. Additionally, WestJet offers a direct weekly seasonal flight from Calgary. 

Tourism authorities note they are reaching out to travel agents, citing a program designed for them.

“As of April 20, we are very proud and excited to announce that we have relaunched the North American version of the Belize Specialist Program through the Online Travel Training (OTT) platform. The free online course has been re-structured into a concise format,” Tillett says. “As part of the program refresh, we added a Trade Resource Center where travel advisors can download e-brochures, request high-resolution images and videos, submit fam inquiries, subscribe to our e-newsletters, and request Zoom destination presentations for groups conducted by our travel trade team. There is also a list of Tour operator partners that sell packages to Belize as a reference for travel advisors.

“In addition to the resources that are being offered to the trade community, participation in the Belize Rewards program is also available to all travel agencies and travel advisors. Reporting Belize bookings translates into redeemable points for fam trips with partner hotels or select merchandise! The Belize booking can be made with any tour operator, any third party or direct.”

Among upcoming Tillett cites that will be of interest to travel agents are the xtar Glamping, Restaurant, and Organic Farm,opening later this year in jungle in western Belize. An adjacent Ixtar property with cabins is set to open in 2025.

As well, a Four Seasons on the island of Caye Chapel is scheduled to open in mid-2024. The retreat will have a 9-hole reversible golf course, approximately 100 luxury villas, private residential options and other luxury choices.

The Watermark Hotel is the newest hotel opening in San Pedro. Although officially open for business, final touches on the seafront property overlooking the San Pedro skyline will be completed in October. The hotel features a rooftop swimming pool, the Skyview restaurant, and six categories of rooms, ranging from Studio to Penthouse suite.

Tiger Cave Zipline is a 9-line adventure that takes participants through Tiger Cave, where they learn about the history of the cave, which is still being excavated,and has been linked to ancient fertility rituals for the Maya. The attraction includes crossing a suspension bridge, an incline rappel, and cave tubing.

Biking Food Tour in Hopkins is a customizable tour that takes people through the history of the village of Hopkins and includes a minimum of three stops at the most authentic and locally owned  restaurants. It ends with a Garifuna drumming and dancing experience on the beach. Cooking classes can also be included in the tour.

Although not a new attraction, the Maya archeological site of Caracol is now becoming more accessible for guests in western Belize. With the paving of the Mountain Pine Ridge and Caracol road, a site that rivals Tikal and Chichen Itza in size and importance in the Maya world, is now more accessible to visitors in western Belize. Caracol is an ancient Maya city that dominated the ancient Maya geopolitical world, as it ruled over the cities of Naranjo and Tikal in Guatemala during the Classic Maya period, and even has been found to have deep rooted connection with Teotihuacan in northern Mexico. “Caracol is the hidden capital of the Maya World,” tourism authorities state.

Another attraction is the WitConcrete Snorkel and Dive Site within Turneffe Island. The Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association and the Belize Tourism Board partnered to repurpose the old sugar and molasses transport ship “the Witconcrete” to become a new shipwreck attraction, as well as serving as a new reef substrate within the atoll. Since its sinking, the ship wreck site has become home to diverse marine life, including large sharks and reef fish life.