CATM 2026: Why International Travel Buyers Are Choosing Belize

For a group of international tourism professionals, the best way to sell Belize is to experience it for themselves. As CATM 2026 wraps up in Guatemala City, delegates are heading to Belize for a closer look at the beaches, diving and Maya sites their clients want to explore. Some already receive requests for the destination, while others hope the post-tour will give them the firsthand knowledge needed to promote Belize with confidence. News Five’s Benita Keme-Palacio spoke with several delegates about why they chose Belize and how the visit could help them attract more travelers.

 

Benita Keme-Palacio, Reporting

“It is the last day of the Centroamerica Travel Market 2026 being hosted here in Guatemala City. The whole package of the CATM 2026 includes a pre-tour, the conference, followed by a post-tour, so we are asking today: Why did they choose Belize as their post-tour, and what are they’re looking forward to?

 

CATM Attendee

“Many people, a lot of Swedish and Canadian people, are asking about Belize because it is a perfect combination of Guatemala and Belize. And I want to see what’s there because I have to explain to my clients how Belize is. I hear that Belize is a very beautiful small country in the Caribbean.”

 

CATM Attendee

“Because in Argentina, people demand this destination and ask about it, and well, I want to know in detail so I can promote and sell it in Argentina.”

 

CATM Attendee

“Our clients are coming from most of them from the United States; they are looking for diving activities in the ocean, and Belize is a perfect destination for our customers. Of course, we try to offer different properties and activities in the area, but Belize is our second-best destination; it is our second-best-sold destination in the area.”

 

CATM Attendee

“Well, I am very excited to see the country and see what it is like. We sell Belize a lot, so I am very excited to see what Belize is like. I am really looking forward to Caye Caulker, and we are also going to visit Lamanai, which I am also excited to see. I am really looking forward for the sun and the heat and the beach as well.”

 

CATM Attendee

“Actually, the destination chose me because I fell in love with Belzie for my time, so I really, really want to come back every year. Now I am going to the Toledo area, because I want to explore there. I chose Belize because it is a country that has everything inside. So I wanted to discover more of Belize, so here we go.”

 

CATM Attendee

“Of the countries in Central America, Belize was one I had not visited before. I’ve had the opportunity to visit Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala, so Belize was one of the options for the post-tour. It was a destination I had never been to, and I loved what I saw online, especially the beaches. From what I’ve seen, Belize has a lot in common with what we have back home in Roatán. I had also seen information about the Great Blue Hole, which is so impressive. It’s one of the places I immediately knew I wanted to visit.”

 

The delegates head to Belize on Friday for a two-day visit, where they’ll experience the country firsthand and discover what they can offer to travellers.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

Watch the full newscast here: