Borders Reopen to Visitors Only: Belizeans Have to Wait until Phase 3

After fourteen months, Belize’s land borders will reopen on May thirty-first.  But much to the disappointment of many, only visitors will be initially allowed to enter the country.  Belizeans will have to wait a while longer until they can cross into neighboring countries.  But with Thursday’s cabinet announcement, concerns were raised about the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Mexico. And, what will be required of tourists when they arrive at the various borders? New Five’s Paul Lopez spoke to C.E.O. at the Ministry of Tourism and Diaspora Relations, Nicole Solano to get some answers.

Nicole Solano, C.E.O, Ministry of Tourism and Diaspora Relations

“Cabinet made a decision to open land borders for tourist only, beginning May thirty-first and that is for tourist only. So, it’s a phased approach where tourist will come in under specific conditions. It is not open for everybody. It is not open for Belizeans. It is not open for in transit. It is open specifically for tourists who come in under specific conditions.   Any tourist that has a negative COVID test similar to the airport, they can come in. They have to be able to show a negative PCR test taken within seventy-two hours of arrival, or twenty-four hours of arrival with a rapid antigen test. So if they don’t have that they will be able to test on arrival at the land borders. But they will have to be able prove that they are COVID negative to come in. Anybody that tests positive will not be able to enter the country.”

Nicole Solano

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Phase two of the land border reopening will allow for foreign tourist and visitors of friends, family and relatives. Phase three will be a full reopening. But, there is no timeline on how long each of the phases for reopening will take.

Nicole Solano

“Basically we are looking at what phase one will require. We are working of course with the Ministry of Health, BAHA, there are several agencies involved that we need to work through the situation to make sure that it happens safely and in accordance with the protocol. Opening the land borders is not an easy task. It is not something we are taking lightly at all. It has taken a lot of discussion. We have been trying to do it for a long time and it has been delayed. We are at the point now where we feel we can safely open for tourism, and that will be the first phase. Depending on how that works, we will then have a better indication of how we can move to phase two. If it doesn’t work, we also reserve the rights to close the borders down.”

Notwithstanding the Government of Belize’s efforts to reopen land borders, international news outlets are reporting a steady increase of Covid-19 cases in the state of Quintana Roo Mexico.

Nicole Solano

“It is a huge concern, and it is definitely something that we have considered with the ministry of health and wellness, because looking at the cases in both Mexico and Guatemala is a major concern. However, we have protocols in place. We know that the number of tourists coming in under those protocols are very low. IF you look at the P.G.I.A., the majority of the people coming in from the airport are coming in from the U.S. The U.S. has a high number of cases. Yet the number of people coming in there that are positive are very low.”

Land border tourism accounted for up to fourteen percent of the tourism market back in 2019. Belize’s land borders were closed in March of 2020. Today, C.E.O. Solano said the Government of Belize is more confident that land borders can be reopened in a safe manner.

Nicole Solano

“We will have the people who feel that it is necessary for tourism and economic recovery, and we will have the people who feel we need to shut down because we want to eliminate any possible risk of having anybody enter with COVID.  It is completely understandable, both sides. So what we have tried to do is have a balance approach and look very carefully at how we can have a responsible and very safe opening for tourism because our stakeholders need it. Economic recovery is of grave concern right now and it is something we need to focus on in a safe manner with all of the parities and agencies involved. We feel we can do it. We feel we have given it a considerable amount of attention.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.