Tourism statistics up for 9th straight month

Somebody must be doing something right because for the ninth consecutive month a record number of tourists have arrived at Belize’s main port of entry, the Philip Goldson International Airport. Figures for June record 10,681 bona fide tourist arrivals for the month compared to 8,202 during the same period last year, an impressive increase of 32.2 percent. Reasons offered for the radically improved situation include a well focused international advertising campaign by the Belize Tourism Board, favourable press reports and a buoyant economy in the United States of America, Belize’s major source of visitors. BTB officials expect the trend to continue, fueled by increased promotional efforts and the steadily improving quality of the nation’s tourism product. In related news Cabinet has endorsed a proposal to build two large upscale hotels on northern Ambergris Caye near Punta Azul. The two properties will have a total of five hundred rooms. Funding will be provided by Rochamel Development Company Ltd., the respective hotel management companies and the Government of Belize. The project’s feasibility study is now being finalised and work should begin by the end of the year.