Dear Tourism Industry partners

The message of the Christmas Season is one of joy, love, hope and new beginnings. Belizeans across our country will gather with their families to celebrate in their own unique way, this most festive season of the year. At this time we assure our families and friends of our love and commitment to them; we take time to re-new old friendships and we put aside differences we have had with others and look forward to the year ahead.

As Christians, we will go to our different places of worship and experience a spiritual re-birth of our own as we thank God for the Gift of His Son and our abundant lives.

challenged by hurricanes this past season allowing us to cope more readily with another challenge, a difficult economy. We join our Belizean brothers and sisters across the nation as we give thanks for having been spared from the negative effects of storms and we ask for God's guidance in the months ahead as we pursue our livelihoods and continue to try to provide for our families.

As the Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation & Culture, I was honored to have hosted the International Responsible Tourism Conference in October. More than two hundred delegates from around the world attended the conference. Their goal was to share their experiences, raise awareness and suggest the way forward for the responsible management of the world's resources. I believe the conference was a resounding success and placed Belize at the forefront as a leader in responsible tourism.

In 2010, under the auspices of my Ministry and funded by the recent loan of thirty million dollars from the International Development Bank, we will commence several projects around the country which will impact the economy. Most notable for San Pedro is the six and a half million dollars that has been earmarked for the San Pedro Lagoon Waterfront project which will transform that area by providing the island with revitalized commercial and recreational facilities which will include an impressive boardwalk.

Major upgrades will begin this year at the Municipal Airport in Belize. Our Airline Development Task force is hard at work sourcing new routes and better fares for our travelers. In addition to the Tourism Zone Legislation Development, many other projects which are too numerous to mention will manifest themselves in the year to come.

In the Ministry of Culture, The National Institute of Culture & History is developing a project document to establish a National Museum in Belmopan to showcase the thousands of artifacts which we currently have in storage and which we need to make available for public viewing.

Additionally, NICH seeks to expand the National Festival of Arts to include not just artists and performers from schools but also the general public. Other disciplines which were not given attention before will be included. Once again there are many projects in the Ministry of Culture which will come to light in the year to come.

As the Area-representative of Belize Rural South, I am in consultation with the Education Department to establish a vocational program on the islands; with IT- VET as the implementing agency. This program will begin to train those who are interested in careers as electricians and will be developed to eventually facilitate a broader curriculum. This will commence in 2010 and will include San Pedro and Caye Caulker.

I am working with the Dean and President of the San Pedro Junior College to assist them in the delivery of a Bachelors program in Tourism at that Institution. We are in consultation with the Ministry of Education and the University of Belize and I am committed to making this become a reality next year.

I am humbled and gratified that I have been able to serve my country and my neighbors for this past year. As we work together towards providing better opportunities for ourselves and a better future for our children, I would like to ask you to join me in thanking God for all his blessings and for this beautiful country in which we live.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Feliz Navidad, Feliz Año Nuevo.

God bless Belize!
Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr.
Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation & Culture