Carnival announces new cruise port for Belize

It would be the largest single private investment in the nation’s history, but tonight there are more questions than answers surrounding the announcement of plans to build a huge new cruise terminal near the port in Belize City. The official unveiling came in the form of a press release issued last night by Belize Ports Limited, which announced that the Belizean company had reached an agreement with Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, to construct a pier and related facilities to handle two mega-ships simultaneously. The cost: one hundred million Belize dollars. Construction should begin by year’s end and be completed within eighteen months. The implications of the project are staggering, for many reasons. Firstly, by allowing direct access to the mainland, the cruise port makes Belize a far more attractive cruise destination, as it eliminates the problems associated with tendering passengers to and from ships anchored at sea. Secondly, it ties Carnival–and its thirteen different lines–to Belize for at least twenty-five years and eliminates much of the uncertainty typically associated with the cruise industry. Thirdly–and this may not please everyone–it sets Belize’s tourism industry on an irreversible path of radically increased cruise tourism. And while that path may have a significant economic impact in some areas, like Belize City, it will place a staggering strain on existing tourism destinations and natural resources. And if not handled properly, could threaten the health of the nation’s traditional overnight tourism industry, an industry which has achieved its present vitality by promoting Belize’s pristine beauty and intimate nature of the eco-tourism product. We wanted to hear more about some of these issues, but Belize Ports Limited’s Luke Espat said that he would not speak until tomorrow. Okay…so we turned to the Director of Tourism, the one official who could certainly enlighten us on the art of the deal and its potential impact on the Jewel. And here’s where we received a shock. Director of Tourism Tracy Taegar told News 5 she has no knowledge of any such proposal or negotiation and therefore could not comment on the impact such a project would have on the Belize tourism scene. If you’re confused, join the club. Hopefully by tomorrow’s newscast we’ll have a few answers.