B.T.B. predicts more growth for tourism
Among all the government ministries, departments and statuary bodies, it is the one entity that consistently blows its own horn the loudest. And for good reason. In the face of war, terrorism, hurricanes, recession, and fear of flying, Belize’s tourism industry has not only held its own, but consistently grown and prospered. Much of the credit for that success goes to the Belize Tourism Board, which today in its annual presentation, gave us a preview of where the industry is headed.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
With close to fifty million dollars of recent public investment in marketing, archaeological parks, border facilities and a new tourist terminal in the old capital, efforts over the last five years in the tourism sector have made the industry the largest single contributor to our economy.
And despite the impact of international events on tourism worldwide and natural disasters here at home, Belize is projecting positive numbers for the year ahead.
Tracy Taegar, Director, Belize Tourism Board
“Overnight arrivals have increased by thirteen percent from 1998 to 2000, with record arrivals each year. In 2003 we are expecting to welcome well over two hundred thousand overnight visitors for the first time in Belize’s history, compared to only a hundred and seventy-six thousand in 1998.”
Cruise tourism has shown the biggest boom…jumping from a mere fourteen thousand visitors in 1998 to a whopping three hundred and fifteen thousand in 2002. A fact the B.T.B. is quick to boast about…so you might expect the bulk of B.T.B.’s earnings to come off a cruise ship…nope. It’s only six percent of the total revenue.
Mark Espat, Minister of Tourism
“The Belize Tourism Board gets up to four hundred thousand dollars per year, or gets a minimum of four hundred thousand dollars per year I should say and the balance of those landing fees goes to the Belize Tourism Village. That is part of the fifteen year agreement that we have in order for them to recoup their investment and in order for government to not have made that initial investment.”
But there’s no denying that more tourists are spending more dollars in Belize prompting the B.T.B. to shift its focus slightly…advertisements aside, protection of the sites must come first.
Mark Espat
“One of our resolutions in this term is to work more closely with NGO community, the Audubon Society, Coastal Zone management agency and Fisheries to ensure that we are promoting tourism in a responsible way, and those who visit our country do so in a way that allows them to, yes, enjoy, but also protect the resources that form the foundation of our industry.”
“The one other thing I would want to highlight is the emphasis on partnerships, and we do not use the term lightly. Really, our role is to promote Belize, to try and ensure that the occupancy, the arrivals get here to Belize, but we do need the work of the private sector, we do need to work of the NGO community, we need all Belizeans to be a part of the success. They’ve been so to date and we want to continue that strong partnership.”
And in that attitude of teamwork, today the Belize Tourism Board held it’s fifth annual presentation of its action plan for 2003-2004, ever mindful of the uncertainties that lie ahead.
Mark Espat
“No tourism and war do not get along well together, as a recent World Tourism Organisation industry review declared. But neither do tourism and recessions, nor tourism and natural disasters, nor tourism and terrorism, nor tourism and SARS, nor if we stretch it, tourism and competition… and the list could go on and on.”
“All of these and others must be viewed as nothing more than conditions of doing business. When these particular conditions past, I assure you, new ones will emerge. There are always excuses available. Our job is to grow tourism no matter the conditions.”
In her presentation, Director of Tourism, Tracy Taegar, said that one of the B.T.B.’s major efforts this year would be to ensure that a greater portion of the tourism dollar stays in Belize and is distributed more evenly throughout the country.
