The Tourism Summit - February 22nd 2007

Belize Biltmore Plaza, Belize City

Driving Change to Increase Market Share

This panel is designed to set the stage for the discussion of the tourism industry in an economic setting where the industry has risen to the greatest foreign exchange earner for Belize. The overall objective is to see a general presentation on the tourism, travel trade industry with a view to presenting sustainability issues and parameters on an international scene. The discussion will follow survey the issue of competitiveness and sustainability for Belize in an international travel and tourism industry and as well as a part of the Caribbean tourism market. Finally, the third presenter will focus on the Belize tourism product and industry and examine issues of sustainability and competitiveness for a small open developing country, which now sees tourism as its premier foreign exchange earner.

Managing the Cruise Industry 

This topic is intended to survey the cruise tourism sub-sector first on the international scene, establishing what cruise tourists seek in a product, the market demographics, the market development over time, niche markets within the sub-sector. The topic is intended to as well present the MNC portion of the discourse - the role the large multi-national cruise tourism corporations play in the development of the industry and the identification of cruise tourism destinations. Important for discussion are the sustainability and competitiveness issues for cruise tourism internationally.

Secondly, Caribbean view and experience will be presented, highlighting key cruise tourism destinations in the region and their development story; the future for the industry in the region; the important discussion of cruise tourism's impact on the wider tourism industry in the region and sustainability and competitiveness issues.

From a Belizean perspective, the presenter will discuss the cruise tourism phenomenon in Belize, its development, the ongoing development of Belize as a cruise tourism destination; socio-economic impact, and the local debate - cruise vs. overnight.

Having Both: Green and Growth

There has been much talk of how to strike a balance between mass tourism and environmental or natural resource management. The discourse and environmental consciousness has given rise to niche marketing in the international tourism industry – ecotourism, cultural tourism, educational and experiential tourism. The overall presentation will first survey key experiences of international destinations, the impacts of the tourism development in their area and modifications to the product for environmental sustainability. A survey of important regulations and institutions established to develop some harmony between industry growth and natural resource use and management.

The Key to Growth

This topic will survey the link between airline traffic and a robust tourism industry. The presenters will speak about the tools for attracting and maintaining the interest of valued airline carriers, marketing, and issues of concern for a robust air traffic industry. Local presenters will look at Belize's current situation with airline carriers, concerns of the carriers and requirements to maintaining and increasing traffic levels. As well, presenter will survey the issue of overnight tourism health based on airline traffic and the dynamics within the two industries.