Ministry of Tourism Kicks Ebola Mitigation Plan Into High Gear

Tracy Panton

While the scare of Ebola washing up on the shores of Belize is very real, its impact on the tourism industry can be potentially devastating.  The multi-agency approach notwithstanding, the Ministry of Tourism is wasting no time in addressing the issue with a view to mitigating the effect of an outbreak on the travel industry.  C.E.O. Tracy Panton told News Five today that coincidentally a meeting was in progress on Thursday when they got wind of the situation at sea.

Tracy Panton, C.E.O., Ministry of Tourism

“Certainly any public health scare whether it’s Ebola or chikungunya or, you know, any public health scare has an impact, potentially can have an impact on our tourism industry.  I am satisfied and certainly the Belize Tourism Board is satisfied that we are working very closely with the Ministry of Health, we’re working very closely with NEMO and all our sister agencies, immigration, customs, BAHA, public health, to ensure that the protocols are in place and they are followed.  For our own safety and certainly the safety of our visitors we don’t take that responsibility lightly at all.  We are constant communication with our sister agencies in reviewing our protocols to ensure that they are being adhered to.”

Isani Cayetano

“This going into the high season for tourism?”

Tracy Panton

“Sorry…”

Isani Cayetano

“This measure is being taken going into the high season for tourism?”

Tracy Panton

“Absolutely.  In fact, just yesterday we had a meeting at the Belize Tourism Board which was chaired by the Ministry of Tourism that had all our agencies there in preparedness for the tourism high season.  We’ve looked at the P.G.I.A. particularly, that is where seventy percent of our tourism arrivals come through but also we are looking at the protocols at the border points, the northern border, the western border and certainly the southern border of Belize.”