B.T.B. Director explains why FCCA’s visit in Belize did not include FECTAB

Laura Esquivel-Frampton

According to Director of Tourism Laura Esquivel-Frampton, the tours being offered by Chukka are all free of charge since a select committee, which includes B.T.B., requested assistance from local members of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association.  Esquivel-Frampton says that FECTAB knew about the conference because its president made an inquiry with them.

Laura Esquivel-Frampton, Director of Tourism

“There is a committee that has been set up, it includes, of course, the Belize Tourism Board.  Information is shared back with the FCCA for their approval but it’s also made up of other industry stakeholders, cruise industry stakeholders.  These are primarily the local agents that handle all their port information, as well as persons who are associate members of the FCCA and persons who have contracts already, existing contracts with the cruise lines.  Like I said, this is a platinum member conference which means that only platinum members are allowed to attend this conference.  In this committee various itineraries were presented, various scenarios were presented and opportunities for collaboration were given to all members of this committee.  In fact, we were very clear that the Belize Tourism Board needed in kind assistance from the members of this committee in order to make this event successful.  You said it right when you honed in on terrestrial because there are other tours that are being offered by other tour operators. Chukka was the first to put in writing and to send their suggestions.  This information was channeled to the entire committee several meetings ago.  The itinerary has continued to be hammered out and worked on.  This was full knowledge of the committee.  I have also, for some time, been mentioning that this conference was coming up in Belize and so it has been public knowledge that this conference will take place.  With regards to your direct question of the president or the head of FECTAB contacting me sometime last week, inquiring, saying that he would like an opportunity to speak to us so that we can say what is happening.  That information was relayed to him via phone and via email pointing out again that the tours being offered by Chukka are absolutely complimentary, that members of the committee, who are also other tour operators, knew of all the plans and had an opportunity to present alternatives.  All of this was relayed last week.  We didn’t hear anything further and so we were actually shocked when the letter came into the minister late Monday evening with regards to this issue.”

Over eighty platinum members of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association, a non-profit trade organization, are expected to attend the cruise conference in San Pedro.  The gathering concludes on June twenty-third.