BETEX unveils plans for trade show
As everyone knows, Belize’s tourism industry is booming. But how that came to be is the result of a lot of hard work, some of which goes into trade shows like the one previewed by the media today. Patrick Jones reports.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
A full six months before the show, organisers of the Belize Tourism Expo went public with plans for this year’s event. President of the Belize Tourism Industry Association, Steve Schulte, says the purpose of BETEX 2004 is to give international travel agents and wholesalers a chance to experience the product they sell to their customers.
Steve Schulte, President, B.T.I.A.
“Well the idea is that we want to build a personal relationship with them because if they know us and they know the products they are selling, they’ll have the confidence to recommend it to all of their clients. This has been the traditional way that Belize has been sold in the past, but it’s been done not through this particular show, but through a number of shows throughout the world and through the solicitation of private sector directly with the travel agent industry.”
The show will run for six days, from September fourteenth to the twentieth. Three days will be devoted to a market place where local tour guides and hoteliers will showcase their services, followed by practical fieldtrips to destinations countrywide.
Schulte says the benefits of hosting BETEX at home are two-fold.
Steve Schulte
“Not only to get more tourists, but to keep up the level of our tourism. Over a period of time you loose people who have been here, you have to replace them with other tourists, so we want to keep up the level and the growth we have enjoyed in the past years.”
“The obvious advantage is that you see the product firsthand. And I think that everyone that comes to Belize is impressed with the beauty of the country, the natural resources, and particularly the beauty of the people.”
That combination is what Schulte and other players in the tourism business hope will result in more travellers making Belize their destination of choice. Patrick Jones, for News 5.
The Belize Tourism Industry Association also simultaneously launched a BETEX website, where participants can sign up for the show and stay informed on developments leading up to the September event. The address is www.betex.bz.
