Placencia does not want cruise tourism
Residents of Placencia and surrounding villages are at this moment participating in a consultation exercise organized by the Belize Tourism Board on the introduction of cruise tourism on the peninsula. Emotions are running high and the project is already facing strong opposition. The Placencia Tour Operators Association and the Village Council have already come out against this form of tourism, citing that it will create unfavorable effects to fragile marine and terrestrial ecosystems within the area. Among the topics being discussed tonight is the feasibility of the proposed cruise project for the southern districts, a plan which has been presented to the Government of Belize. That proposal would allow for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line which has bought several acres of land on the peninsula to operate via a terminal in Placencia. Village Council Chairman Charles Leslie Jr. and Vice Chair David Vernon of the Placencia chapter of the B.T.I.A. were guests earlier this week on Channel Five’s Open Your Eyes. They echoed the sentiments that cruise tourism is bad for the south.
Charles Leslie Jr., Chairman, Placencia Village Council (File: October 19th, 2010)
Charles Leslie Jr.
“People do not want cruise ship tourism in Placencia and we the Placencia Village Council will be making a public statement after the BTB sponsored consultation on Friday, October 22nd. It cheapens the product.”
William Neal
“Now is it a categorical no?”
david vernon
David Vernon, Vice Chairman, BTIA Placencia
“For most people it’s a no; some, let’s see how we can work and make [uhm] let’s see how we can work with them and sort of see how the people of Placencia could benefit and the people of Monkey River could benefit from this. But in the negotiations, they want to negotiate with the cruise lines and our understanding is that the cruise lines don’t negotiate. They basically set the rules and you either follow the rules or they move on to the next, you know.”
Marleni Cuellar
“What word have you gotten from the Ministry of Tourism in terms of the plans from Royal Caribbean so far?”
Charles Leslie Jr.
“That’s a very good question. We have not gotten any word from [the] Ministry of Tourism. I was [uhm] two weeks before, I would say about a month or a little before a month ago I was hand delivered plans for the cruise ship; the tourism village in Placencia by a representative of Century 21, Bradley Reinhardt and Century 21 facilitated the sale of that property. Almost three acres of property and the concern that the villagers had is that Mike Singh basically said he don’t know about what’s going on in Placencia but we’re concerned that he is the owner of the franchise Century 21.”
We’ll have a report on Monday but we note that the other public consultations in Dangriga and Punta Gorda have been postponed due to the hurricane threat.
I say yes to the deal!
do not allow cruise ships or you will be sorry later on that will bring nothing but destruction corruption and filth to your island .
This is a good move by Placencia and the sorrounding areas–unlike other people who just see
green money–they realize that money is good but if it comes with the cost of destroying the
environment then no deal–besides they have realized that there is no infrastructure laid down
so as to accommodate the mass of tourist who will pour in and instead of leaving anything
valuable will only leave trash–which will be left for the residence to contain–Let the Cruise
company put money into improving the area so that it can cater for the mass movements of
people who will only use the place as a stop and GO—-
I have not even bother to read the complete article on this matter the headline is good enough to make a conclusion the people of Placencia has spoken, I am sure that they know what is good for their community, I believe that Belize is a democracy, if the majority of people say they do not want cruise tourism then that should be understood and if BTB and the department of tourism insist then they can only be asking for trouble and should be held responsible for and problems that comes up after whatever decisions they make contrary to the request of the Placencia people.
The question is whether Belize wants to stay stuck where it is, or move forward. Progress always comes with some growing pains, but WISE leaders can shape it for the best.
One thing we cannot do, keep our heads in the sand. We need leaders who will encourage beneficial foreign investment, and then WORK to shape it in the best way for Belize. Other Caribbean nations have leaders who accomplish that — why not Belize?
I really don’t understand how cruise tourism can be so “bad.” If there was a threat to the environment, then that would be detrimental, but I can’t see this. Tourism in Belize is a huge factor to the economy. It should be encouraged.
Cruise ships are horribly polluting, and they will ruin your reefs. I have been to Placencia and loved it there, and your environment there is so pristine and that is what the tourists come there for, not the cruises or resorts. They can get that anywhere. Why not stay unique? Cruises come and go, but long term tourism will be from eco-tourists, people who want to escape to beautiful environments like the beautiful area around Placencia and the beautiful islands and reefs. Reefs around the world right now are being spoiled, don’t let that happen there. It should not all be about money.
I understand why the people of Placencia should have their concerns. The presence of the ships have its pros and cons and we have to weigh them up. The Royal Caribbean cruise ships provide a host of restaurants and many entertainments on board. Many of the passengers however are eager to explore the country and its terrain. Therefore there will be some passengers who will be interested in seeing Placencia and the surrounding area and patronise businesses in the community. However it depends if the ships will be bringing them to shore to do just that.
I have taken a cruise in the Caribbean and we were taken to a private resort for sunbathing, swimming, water sports, BBQ, and entertainment for the kids. This particular cruise had a private resort in the Bahamas, if you did not want to go to the private resort the alternative was to stay on board, as there was no transportation anywhere else. The following day we were taken to Nassau and saw how businesses definitely benefitted from the presence of the ship. I think the people of Placencia really need a clear object of what they expect from this type of tourism. As we may have a situation where the RC use their acres of land in Placencia to entertain their passengers and so the community raise very little from tourism. Maybe they will allow a few people to come on their resort to sell T-shirts, crafts and employment to do the entertainment? Will that be enough for the community? How will this affect the established businesses catering for the ships in the City?
No surprise that when our ship docked in the great US of A (Key West) there was no private resort. We were taken on shore for the entire day and given guided tours of the shops where we bought souvenirs, rented bikes and scooters for water sports, the bars, and museums etc., quite different the money is spent in their community. This is because there are perhaps must tighter guidelines stipulated in their agreement in the first place to protect the American economy. People of Belize support Placencia in their decision, as it will affect us all.
Cruise ship tourism is what they call “mass tourism”, in a bad economy they call it “diaster tourism”, and that is what they are doing. Instead of lowing airfares, lowing the cost of doing business in this country, lowing the cost of living, they think a pitiful lee head tax can bail out the country. Cruise ships in southern Belize, would ruin the natural beauty and the eco-tourism that they have fought to advertise and safe. Over night tourists spend more money than the cattle ships of tourists from big cruiseships. Look at the mess in BC, they cannot control that, drugs,crimee, sexual explotation of our chilldren!!!! Enviromental damage would be great, 300 people and more at whale shark time, and the garbage from the ship, ugh, no, NO Cruise ships in Southern Belize.. we need to start standing up for things. Progress is good, but, it has to be sustainable and cruise tourism is not sustainable.
@Robert, your right… it’s growing pains. This can work and it will be good for Placencia and for the communities around. But it needs to be controlled. They have to limit the amount of ships that can dock at any one time and the amount of visitors allowed at a site at a given time. It has to be planned and enforced. Sustainability is the key.
If you read and learn, the research shows that cruise ships ARE detrimental to the environment, especially Belize’s delicate barrier reef. The people of Placencia have done their homework and understand that the money will go into the pockets of a few if cruise ships are allowed. BTB should continue to market Belize as an eco-tourism destination that really cares about its most valuable resources its reef and its rainforest…..Belize has a chance to do it right….don’t let a few greedy hands spoil it for the rest.
How many tourists will Placencia LOSE if there is a cruiseship terminal. As a frequent visitor, I for one will never return if there is a cruise ship terminal. I am a tourist who comes and parks for 2 weeks. I can say that my tourism dollars make more of a long-term positive impact on the local businesses than cruise ship passengers who come for a couple of hours. Maybe, Placencia should plan on building a gated shopping mall like in Belize City. This is a very serious decision. You will definitely lose tourists with a development like this.
Cathy
Vancouver, Canada
Cruise ship tourism for Placencia is such a bad idea. There simply isn’t the infrastructure to support such a huge impact on the environment. There would be a few local people who might benefit in the short term, but, most of the promised tourist dollars would go right back to the cruise ship line.
It truly will convince the people who now love to travel to Placencia to stay away……
It’s easy to comment on what’s good for other people when you are not the one who has to live in their community. The people of placencia obviously are willing to pass up on any scraps of money that would come in from this tourism in order to save the ecosystem.
According to the comment made by Robert, Wise leaders can shape opportunity for the best, but I don’t see wise leaders in Belize. I see corruption of the hightest order and only the poor will suffer while the rich get richer. The government can’t even keep drug dealers behind bars for more than a day and now we’re supposed to trust them with our fragile ecosystem?
Unfortunately money talks, and government officals want to get rich. Once they have foolishly ruined our country, they’ll take their money and flee leaving the poor to deal with the consequences of their bad decisions.
Question. Who own the land that was sold to Royal Carribean? Why are people of Belize so willing to sell? When these people buy our land, they will not even let you pass by it again. You will all be outsiders looking in. Also, these cruises will not even spend a twenty-four hour in that area. They come in early between 9a.m to 5p.m and they leave. The people on these ships have a scrumptious breakfast, so when they get off the ship they are not looking for food, and they are going back to a well deserve evening dinner. So don’t be fool that they will be spending a lot of money… some don’t have any extra money to spend after spending for the cruise.
Rod says:
“do not allow cruise ships or you will be sorry later on that will bring nothing but destruction corruption and filth to your island” .
Another intelligent post by someone who just wants to read their own writing!
Placencia is on an island? Wow!
Coprruption and filth to Belize?
Drive down any back road, check out local waste treatment anywhere, go through customs and get raped by the goons who work there and then feel free to post again
CUDOS TO THE PEOPLE OF PLANCENCIA……THEY KNOW THE VALUE OF SIMPLE LIVING, WITHOUT THE CORRUPTION THAT THE TOURISTS WILL BRING TO THEIR UNSPOILED SOIL…THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW…THESE TOURIST WILL BE COMMING BACK TO BUY LAND AND DEVELOPE IT TO THEIR LIKING….WITH MODERNIZATION COMES CORRUPTION…LEAVE PLANCENCIA TO THE PEOPLE OF BELIZE…IT IS JUST AS BEAUTIFUL AS EVER….TOURISM WILL NOT MAKE IT ANY BETTER!!!! ONCE AGAIN I THINK THIS KIND OF THINKING SHOULD BE MORE PREVALENT IN BELIZE….REMEMBER WE ARE STILL THE “UNDISCOVERED JEWEL” FOR MANY, MANY FOREIGNERS!!!!
Anything that impacts the economy,people,land and its wealth need to be reviewed in the best interest of itself and people!! ( BELIZE )
I vote No!…
I am not sure what the exact details are for this plan but I do not see how this will benefit Belizeans except for those involved in getting it going and the owners of the cruise ships.
Here are some links showing the people involved in this:
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elsalvador.com%2Fnoticias%2F2006%2F07%2F13%2Fnacional%2Fnac9.asp
http://archive.channel5belize.com/archives/12996?utm_content=sociable-wordpress&utm_medium=awe.sm-facebook-post&utm_source=facebook.com
http://archive.channel5belize.com/archives/12999?utm_content=sociable-wordpress&utm_medium=awe.sm-facebook-post&utm_source=facebook.com
Well, as much as I loved Placencia when I have visited there, the arrival of cruise ships would be the end of any further visits or recommendation to anyone else to go there.
Placencia was a great place with wonderful funky restaurants and snorkelling with whale sharks was one of the most magical experiences of my life. Three thousand people decending on it for a few hours would be a disaster.
People in the US go on Carribean cruises at least in part because it is a cheap holiday. What makes Placencia think that they would spend money locally? or that what they spent would make up for the envionmental damage or the damage to other tourism?
Why would anyone want to stay in a place that becomes so crowded?
This plan makes me very sad for Belize.
Weren’t cruise ships banned from Belize City beacuse a ship rammed the coral reef?
In Placencia willing to risk the destruction of their dive sites?
Please do not look at the “supposed” short term benefits from the potential (or is it a done deal without consultation from the towns people???) of more cruise ship visitors to Belize. They are not sustanaible to the long term tourist industry in which Belize has invested so much money, time and energy.
We can not manage the masses of people this will bring and how it will destroy our communities and world hertiage sights. We will lose our true long term income – tourists who stay in our country for 7+ days and are investing in our lodging, restaurants and paying the going rates to tour our beautiful country! This is a threat that should not be taken lightly and with little to no thought of how it will impact our country!!
Please all rise up with a resounding no to cruise ship tourism in Belize!!! We do not need to continue to line the pockets of the few but keep focused on the many long term tourists who will feed the masses – say NO!!!
The cruise ship docks can be devastating to the “feel” of an area. If you cannot prevent the cruise ships from coming perhaps you can look into what Sitka Alaska did and only allow the ship to ferry in passengers, which I believe they do in BZE. Has anyone considered the impact to the whale sharks?
Why do you think I go to Placencia when I come to Belize. To get away from it all. It seem the only little paradise left in Belize. I agree with the Placencia Village counsel. Bringing in the cruise line open you up to a lot more crimes. Money isn’t everything. I agree with Rod.
You will lose more than you will gain by allowing cruise ships. I for one spend $20,000.00 a year in Belize. There is no way I would return to BZE should they approve this. Don’t let one investor bully all of the people.
My husband and I are going to be in Placencia this May. We’ve never been before, but the reason we chose Placencia is because of the peace and quiet and simplicity we read about it. Beautiful beaches and snorkling opportunities. We like to get away from crowds. We would NEVER have picked Placencia to vacation in if it was a cruise ship destination. That’s why we’re staying away from Belize City and northern areas. I realize we have no vote, but PLEASE say no to allowing cruise ships! We live in a tourist area ourselves, and it is a constant battle to keep the big corporations from moving in and taking control. A battle worth fighting!