Andrade Says Funding Will Have Positive Impact on Fisheries and Tourism

Valdemar Andrade

Executive Director Valdemar Andrade says the one point two million dollars blended financing will also be put back into the management of fisheries and by extension the marine protected areas which will have a positive impact on the economy through fisheries and tourism.  Andrade explains how they will implement the sustainable revenue-generating initiatives.

Valdemar Andrade, Executive Director, TASA

“We are positioning ourselves as a real business partner and building products for post-COVID opportunity in terms of tourism, so that we can position Belize and Turneffe as a key product. So, we are building a number of things in Turneffe along with our partners. But this is being built together and being built knowing what they have in place in terms of capacity of personnel.  What capacity in terms of equipment and what is it as key products that they need? So, we are putting in infrastructure and we are making Calabash Caye the center for our tourism hub. On Calabash Caye we are going to be put in trails, a tower, and picnic areas and a new pier to be able to receive guests there in terms of building a tourism product. We are looking at building an app that guests on Turneffe would be able to interact and learn more about Turneffe. We would know also what they are seeing and what they are looking for. We are also looking at building sea safaris along with the hotels so that they can get a better idea and have more products on Turneffe in terms of what products we are able to build towards the guests.”