The Belize Tourism Industry is one of the cornerstones of the Belizean economy. There is no definitive estimate of the sector’s contribution to the GDP but most assessments indicate that tourism contributes anywhere from 18% to 25% of the total GDP and accounts for about 28% of total employment (National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan of Belize, 2011). In 2012 direct tourism contribution to GDP was estimated at 12% and its total contribution was 34%. This equated to approximately BZD567 Million being injected into the economy through tourism (WTTC Travel & Tourism Economic Impact, 2012).

Belize’s tourism industry is eco-tourism and culture based and depends on the country’s natural and cultural assets, in particular its marine resources including the Belize Barrier Reef. Based on a vulnerability assessment of the Belize tourism sector, 80% of visitors to Belize seek out reef-based activities (Richardson, 2007). These include diving and snorkelling, which are supported by the Belize Barrier Reef and coastal zone.

The National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan of Belize 2011 highlighted numerous challenges to the tourism industry some of which are further exacerbated by climate change. These include:

• Poor level of accessibility on land, mainly due to a limited amount of paved roads leading to tourism destinations.
• Inadequate natural asset management, mainly due to lack of awareness, knowledge and financial issues that leads to degradation of the natural resources and destination.
• Insufficient waste disposal and sewage systems, which results in pollution.
• Lack of urban land planning and land use regulation results in haphazard, inadequate urban development, beach erosion, and land use conflict.
• Lack of public awareness programmes leads to unsustainable use of natural resources, such as the reef, national parks and rainforests.

Picture: Viv Lynch