Fifth consecutive month of tourism growth

It’s getting to the point that good news from the Tourism Board is so common that it soon may not qualify as news. For the fifth straight month tourism arrivals through the Philip Goldson International Airport have increased by a significant amount. The latest figures for May indicate an increase of 22.7% over May of 1999: a total of 9,626 tourists for the month versus 7,735 for the same period last year. This continues a trend which began in January. Cumulative arrivals for the first 5 months of the year are running a whopping 26% ahead of 1999. BTB Chief Tracy Taegar hopes the trend will continue through the summer and is encouraging Belizeans to join the growing number of international visitors who experience Belize during the so-called “off season.” Many resorts are offering special local rates and these will be integrated into a publicity campaign which will begin shortly.