October 2017

As a national association, the BTIA has an official seat on the following committees to represent the interests of the membership: Hotels and Tourist Accommodations Minimum Standards Technical Committee Zip line Canopy Systems Minimum Standards Technical Committee Scuba Diving Minimum Standards Technical Committee

In December 2015, the BTIA held a Sargassum Forum with invited guests from Quintana Roo, Mexico, the Caribbean and Belize to present research information and solutions to address sargassum influx in coastal areas.  The forum yielded an official report with valuable information which was presented to the Government of Belize.  As a result, the Government of Belize through the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation created the Sargassum Task Force to develop a national master plan to address the influx

BTIA vs Department of the Environment (DOE) and Belize Island Holdings Ltd. (BIHL) In support of the BTIA membership in Placencia in addressing concerns about the development of a cruise port on Harvest Caye and the negative socioeconomic impacts on the peninsula and its population, lead the BTIA to conduct a judicial review of the project via the Supreme Court of Belize.  The main focus of the Supreme Court case of the BTIA vs Department of the Environment and Belize Island

Press Release:  The Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) is currently conducting a comprehensive review of the improvements to the minimum standards for Hotels and Tourist Accommodations in Belize that are being proposed by the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) as set out in Act (No. 12 of 1997).The BTB is in the process of conducting destination visits regarding the National Classification System for Accommodations. The intention is to have new legislation in place by the end of 2016 or early 2017 to

The BTIA proudly sits as leading member of the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage to preserve and protect the integrity of the Belize Barrier Reef System.  The Coalition has engage in various campaigns to promote our goals and demand actions be taken by the Government of Belize. Various campaigns: The People’s Referendum Moratorium to prevent offshore oil exploration Consultation Sessions with stakeholders Press releases

The chemical compound Glyphosate (the key ingredient in Roundup) is the number one pesticide used to eradicate weeds in farms in Belize and worldwide. The World Health Organization’s IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) classified glyphosate as a probable carcinogen in 2015. The Pesticide Action Network International (PAN) issued a comprehensive report in 2016 stating several long term and chronic effects on the environment, humans and animals worldwide due to the high usage of glyphosate. The alarming conclusions from international

Press Release: On May 11th, 2017, BTIA representatives held a meeting with two Airbnb officials, Mr. Shawn Sullivan and Mr. Carlos Munoz, who are responsible for Airbnb’s public policy division for Latin America and the Caribbean.  BTB’s Business Development Manager, Sean Tang, also participated in the meeting. Airbnb is the number one online marketplace and hospitality service that allows people to lease or rent short-term lodging including vacation rentals, apartment rentals, homestays, hostel beds, or hotel rooms. The purpose of the meeting

PREAMBLE As part of what it calls “measured consolidation”, the Government of Belize has proposed the following revenue measures: 1) require all statutory boards to contribute 10% of their 2017/18 income to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, and 2) amend the Conservation Fee that is charged as part of departure tax. The Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) believes that an in-depth study of the impacts and effects of these revenue measures, along with consultations with industry stakeholders, should have been held prior to GOB’s

PREAMBLE As part of what it calls “measured consolidation”, the Government of Belize has proposed the following revenue measures: 1) require all statutory boards to contribute 10% of their 2017/18 income to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, and 2) amend the Conservation Fee that is charged as part of departure tax. The Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) believes that an in-depth study of the impacts and effects of these revenue measures, along with consultations with industry stakeholders, should have been held prior to GOB’s

The BTIA as an NGO in good standing was able to participate and contribute with the development and establishment of the Belize Network of NGOs to represent the interests of the NGO community.  The Government of Belize supported and granted the legislation that would allow for 13th senator to be elected by the NGO community to sit as part of the Senate and the National Assembly to represent their interests.  Through a rigorous and transparent process, the President of the BTIA