Global Financial Uncertainty Impacts Belize’s Tourism Sector

It looks like some rough waters may be ahead for Belize’s tourism industry. While the Ministry of Tourism is reporting a modest one percent increase in visitor arrivals for the first five months of the year, May didn’t bring much to celebrate. Tourism Minister Anthony Mahler says the months ahead could be even tougher, and there’s more. Canada has just issued a travel advisory, warning its citizens to exercise extreme caution when visiting Belize due to safety concerns. So, what does this mean for one of the country’s biggest economic drivers? We spoke with Minister Mahler to get some answers.

 

Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism

“From the first five months we have seen we are up by one percent. May was a bit soft and I think the next couple of months will be difficult. But we will do everything we can to make sure the numbers don’t go down or don’t go down much at all. I just got back from a conference for hotels and the talk was about the uncertainty all around us and what that creates is a drawing up of liquidity. People’s 401 K has been destroyed for the most part and they don’t have that liquidity in their own lives to take luxury vacation like what Belize offers.”

 

Reporter

“And Canada issued a travel advisory against Belize. How do you feel about that?”

 

Anthony Mahler

“There are times when these things are done for reasons other anything happening in the country. I don’t see uptick in crime. But it happens and we have to continue navigating that. It is not an easy thing to push an industry like tourism forward especially in these troubling times of global uncertainty.”