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Guest to Guide Ratio Enforced for Tourism Activities
Belize City, Wednesday, October 1st, 2008
Members of the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), the Ministry of Tourism and NICH met as a follow-up to the September 8th meeting where discussions were made to equip tour guides and tour operators to exercise improved safety precautions when dealing with visitors who sign-up for cave tubing adventures. As a result of this meeting, NICH had decided to enforce the policy of the guide to guest ratio on October 15th, 2008 at the Caves Branch Archaeological Park/Jaguar Paw.
On October 1st, 2008, members of the Belize Tourism Board and the Tour Operators Licensing Committee met and decided that effective immediately, the policy for the guide to guest ratio for water based activities will be enforced by the Tourism Police Unit for all tours, including but not limited to cave tubing.
Agreed upon measures included:
- The guide to guest ratio of 1 guide to 8 guests, as prescribed by law, will be enforced as a policy for use of the caves. This will come into effect on October 15th, 2008.
- The Institute of Archaeology will install signs regarding policies that must be adhered to when using the cave system for tours.
- The Belize Tourism Board will work in collaboration with NICH to increase the presence of Tourism Police in the area.
- Staggered entrance to the caves will be implemented by the Institute of Archaeology.
The BTB will also work with the Institute of Archaeology to begin training programs. All tour guides wishing to take tours in the cave system will have to complete a mandatory training course given by the Institute of Archaeology and the Belize Tourism Board before November 2009. These include a 2-3 day theory course which will cover Caves and the Ancient Maya, Cave Safety, Cave Ethics, Cave Geology and Regulations for operating in caves and the penalties that will be levied if policies are not adhered to. The Belize Tourism Board will organize a five - day course to cover Swift Water Rescue, Advanced First Aid and Cave Rescue.
In addition, to the agreed upon measures, NICH and the Institute of Archaeology will procure monitoring equipment to test water levels, currents and water flow. This will assist park management to determine when the park should be closed.
It is important to note that problem areas within the cave system have been identified and additional safety features will be addressed.
For more information on the developments and events in Belize's Tourism Industry, please contact the Marketing Department at the Belize Tourism Board at (501)-227-2420, via email: btbb@btl.net or visit our website BelizeTourism.org.
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