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The BTIA a broad-based tourism umbrella organization that seeks to bring together tourism related interests to meet the challenges of a dynamic and growing tourism industry in Belize.

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Advocacy

The major activity of BTIA is to advocate for the interests of the tourism industry. This includes hotels, tour operators, tour guides, restaurants, spas, gift shops, car rentals—any activity directly related to tourism and includes both the overnight and cruise sectors.

This advocacy takes many forms. For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic BTIA lobbied for common sense policies that did not make visitors prisoners in their hotels and allowed them to enjoy the country’s many outdoor attractions without hindrance and in safety. We simultaneously pushed for policies that put tourism workers near the head of the line for vaccinations while at the same time campaigning for all Belizeans to be vaccinated.

Similarly, we regularly advocate in the areas of industry regulation, taxation, economic support, and related areas including crime control, sargassum, environmental policy, transport and labor relations. Some of these efforts take place through our representation on various boards and committees (Belize Tourism Board, Sargassum Task Force, Airline Development Committee, PACT and DFC to name a few) while other means take the form of personal contact with officials at the BTB, Ministry of Tourism and Diaspora Relations and Government in general. We try at all times to maintain a positive relationship with Government, but we are not afraid to respectfully disagree with some policies when they conflict with what we believe to be the best interests of our members. In general, we favor policies that promote sustainability, nature-based tourism, and the preservation of authenticity in our tourism product.

See our most recent advocacy efforts and works below:

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