Belize Lands Big Opportunity at Central America Travel Market
Belize has brought one of its largest delegations to Centroamérica Travel Market (CATM) 2026, with 42 delegates and 18 booth spaces, as hoteliers and tour operators try to turn meetings into contracts.
Six countries have booths at this year’s market: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. The trade floor opened Tuesday, and stakeholders are meeting with international wholesalers and tour operators, hoping for partnerships that could become bookings in the coming travel seasons. Belize is focusing on new buyers in Europe and Latin America.
Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) President Efren Perez said the announcement of a new Frankfurt-to-Belize flight by Discover Airlines gives Belize something concrete to talk about with European agents. “Late yesterday there was the announcement of the Discover Airlines flight from Europe, from Frankfurt to Belize,” Perez said. “That gives us a really good strength in terms of talking to these European agents that are here. For them to start to put our properties on their portfolio for the next season.”
Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala, Jose Alpuche, said the new link changes how Europe sees the country. “In the past, we’ve always had Belize as a secondary market,” Alpuche said. “Now, with the new air links direct from Europe, Belize becomes a primary market for Europe. It’s very, very encouraging.”
Perez said tourism stakeholders are also pushing Central America as a source of visitors, especially in the slower months. But he said Guatemalan tour operators told him they are having difficulties at border points, which could undermine efforts to sell multi-destination packages. He said he and Alpuche will look at how to reach stakeholders such as immigration to discuss improvements.
The director of the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (InGuat), Harris Whitbeck, said both countries stand to gain from working together. “We would love to welcome more Belizean visitors to Guatemala. We would love for more Guatemalans to visit Belize because that’s where we start understanding each other,” Whitbeck said.
On the trade floor, Patricia Ramirez, owner of Splash DMC, said she has 40 meetings booked and is aiming to close at least 10 partnerships. “That’s gonna be a success,” she said.
Jessica Mijangos, director of marketing and sales at Ka’ana Resort in San Ignacio and its sister property Itz’ana in Placencia, said the bigger job is changing how buyers see Belize. She said many think of it as only jungle or only beach, when it offers both.