February tourism figures up 3%

Last month’s tourism figures are in and while the rate of increase has slowed, a record number of visitors continue to make Belize their destination of choice. Arrivals for February rose by three percent over one year earlier, which was itself a record month. In fact, every month since October 1999 has set a record with the exception of the Hurricane Keith influenced months of October and November of 2000. But while overnight tourism continues to flourish, the cruise ship business is suffering from the bankruptcy of two major cruise lines. As a result the number of day-trippers dropped to seven thousand, five hundred and eighty-five from eleven thousand, six hundred and sixty-five a year earlier. Next season should bring a major increase, however, as new lines with big new ships will begin docking in Belize City beginning in November. The Belize Tourism Board will be stepping up its marketing activities just in case the predicted slowdown in the U.S. and world economy diminishes the public’s appetite for vacation travel.