BTB presents plans for Bz. City tourism village
It might be one of the few projects that managed to survive from one administration to the next. This week, the Belize Tourism Board is holding public consultations to discuss the idea of a tourism village at Fort Point in Belize City. This afternoon, Minister of Tourism, Mark Espat told News Five that the project will require substantial investment, but that the returns for Belize should justify the initial spending.
Mark Espat, Minister of Tourism
“We envision an investment of 5.2, 5.3 million dollars. The village will include food and beverage facilities, duty free shopping, gift shops, it will also include a space for tour operators, buses to pick up, etc. We also envision a consolidated area for water taxi operators to take people to and from the off shore islands. So it’s not a new concept, I think we all agree we need a tourism village and we agree that it should be located at the Fort Point area. What we are now seeking is the feedback from the private sector to see how we can make that agreement take into account the interest, first of all of the country, and then of the stakeholders.”
Janelle Chanona
“Earlier you mentioned duty free shopping, will that mean that Belizeans won’t be able to partake in any of the festivities happening inside the village?”
Mark Espat
“Well those are details we would have to work out. We’ve been working with the Ministry of Investment and Finance to see how exactly that will work out. Obviously it will be a first for Belize except for the international airport and the free zone, there’s is no duty free shopping inside the territory of Belize. We hope to change that because from a cruise tourism standpoint, it will make us more competitive with the Caribbean. I think at the end of the day I think the village will certainly be good for Belize and will make us more competitive.”
Janelle Chanona
“Mr. Espat, tell me about the visual concept you have in mind for the tourism village.”
Julius Espat, Managing Director, Strukture Architects Ltd.
“Basically we are following a Mayan theme for the cruise ship terminal. The first phase of the project is the concept of a Mayan palace, not a temple and as the project continues, first, second and third phases, then we’ll continue with the other design, getting into plazas, restaurants and things like that. But in general, we’re doing a Mayan theme.”
Janelle Chanona
“Engineering wise, will this be a difficult structure to put together?”
Julius Espat
“Not necessarily. We’re dealing with the first phase as the remodeling of the old maritime wing. It’s basically to go around the building to create the facade that we’re going for and then we’ll be going inside to do all the necessary details and stuff like that. We’ll be extending the building about 60 feet.”
An investment group headed by hotel developer Mike Feinstein is the proposed majority owner of the village. It is hoped that by January of next year, the tourism village’s marine terminal will be completed.
