Agents say Belize is top destination for Canadians

Canada is one of the prime markets for Belize as a tourist destination. Today a contingent of some twenty persons from the Canadian travel industry arrived at the Phillip Goldson International Airport. The travel agents, tour operators and travel press are participating in a seven-day familiarization trip organized by the Belize Tourism Board which will provide the Canadian professionals with an opportunity to experience Belize firsthand. The package includes a visit to several tourist destinations in Cayo, Hopkins, Placencia and San Pedro. Director of Marketing and Industry Relations at the B.T.B., Alyssa Carnegie, says that the tour is the culmination of several international road shows and presentations in Canada. Meanwhile, Travel Agent, Rene McKinnon, says that the tour is going to be an experience given the connection between the two countries.

Alyssa Carnegie

Alyssa Carnegie, Director of Marketing & Industry Relations, B.T.B.

“This is actually being held as a follow up to some road shows we did earlier in January which was amazing. We have a lot of airlines who are now interested or looking at the potential of maybe coming to Belize. So there is that component in terms of increased airlift. But secondly, increased airlifts brings more people to the destination and that has its own spinoff effects. And not only will we look at properties and tour operators, vendors as well—tourism is really everybody’s business. So the more people that we can bring into the country, the more audience, the more clients exists for people to benefit from.”

Rene McKinnon

Rene McKinnon, Canadian Travel Consultant

“Belize comes up in Toronto frequently to show off the country and expose what you have. I believe you have nine hundred to eleven hundred Mayan sites. We are going to be visiting one of them today—one of the big ones. And Altun Ha is famous for Canadians because on the Belizean dollar, you have the jade head. That was discovered from a Canadian archeologist from the museum in Toronto and he was my neighbor for years. You have a Canadian connection here that is strong and I’d like to see that promoted more. You also have another one going back to 1926 Mitchell Hedges discovered the crystal skulls and the lady, Mitchell, lived in Toronto for a number of years.”

Alyssa Carnegie

“It’s really important because a lot of people are booking their vacation by travel agents. A lot of people anticipate that people just log on and go to a website and book their vacation. But that is not necessarily true. A lot of people use travel agents because they trust what the travel agents have to tell them. So it is important that these travel agents are familiar and know the product that they are selling as well. I mean you wouldn’t be a sales person and not know what you are selling. The destination has also developed extensively. Belize has become very sexy and there is lot of new developments happening and they want to get to know that and they want to experience it and see what it is like firsthand so that they can better inform their clients when approached about the Belize product. There are a lots of competition, there are lots of travel agents selling lots of other destinations. So it is important that on trips like these, they get to realize what makes Belize so different, so unique, so special; what makes us stand out from all the rest because we do. And so it is important that they get to know that because that way, they will transmit this information and relay this information to their clients as well as people who are interested.”

The tour is expected to give Belize premium exposure in top Canadian news outlets.