Hotels Can Now Open but for Only Local Guests

Michael Peyrefitte

With Belize’s tourism industry on life support and hoteliers going out of business, one of the changes to the regulations is that hotels can resume business. But there is a caveat because no international bookings will be allowed and the idea is to allow Belizeans to be tourists in their own country, in a stricter sense of the phrase. This allows Belizeans to travel across district lines but they must show proof that the hotel has been booked. The idea is to restart the hotel industry, albeit in a glacial space.

Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney General

“Hotels are open now provided that only local guests can be there, no international bookings. Well you can’t come the border; you can’t land at the airport. So all hotels will now be allowed to be open as of tomorrow but only to the local population. So if you are in Belize City and you are en-route to a hotel in Placencia for example and he police stop you and say, “Sir where are you going?” “I am going to such and such hotel in Placencia. Here is my reservation Sir.” You will be able to cross the district boundaries. You can leave Belize District to go to Cayo or PG if you are going to stay at a hotel. You must prove that you are going to stay at the hotel.”