Dear Tourism Industry partners

Greetings from the Belize Tourism Board,

As the busier period of our tourism season draws to a close and tourism service providers prepare for the traditionally quieter summer months we take this opportunity to encourage you to use the time wisely to ensure that our tourism services are improved and ready for the coming season. We exist in a constantly changing global and local environment and our competitiveness and ongoing success depend upon our ability to adapt to new challenges and opportunities. Activities in the coming months should include:

• Increased and creative marketing efforts to capture our share of a US market beset by higher costs of living and decreased spending power
• Intensified promotion in traditionally smaller markets e.g. Central America and Europe
• Careful evaluation of operational costs to effect cost savings while continuing to provide value for money
• Ongoing maintenance and improvement to the tourism product to ensure that our standards remain high
• Investment in our human resources to ensure that our tourism service retains its warmth and friendliness with increased efficiency

Special attention must also be paid to Emergency preparedness plans as we enter the Hurricane Season. These plans should include not only the actions to be taken to protect property and human life but also specific actions that will allow us to get back into operation as quickly as possible following a disaster and, communication plans to let the world know that we are open and ready for business. The Belize Tourism Board's BelizeEmergency.net is designated as the central point for tourism updates should there be an "unplanned event" affecting the tourism industry. Once this website is activated, banners are placed on all BTB websites, and ongoing contact established with local service providers and international trade and media partners. The website contains official BTB releases, destination updates and notices of specials and promotions offered by the industry in the aftermath.

Belize continues to be a favored destination for vacation travel and in the coming months the BTB will do our part to ensure that Belize’s tourism plans take into account rising fuel prices and other economic factors in our primary markets. Efforts are already underway to intensify our marketing and public relations efforts and we will continue our destination visits and consultations so that we can get your input and assistance on ensuring the viability and growth of the tourism industry. I invite you to download a copy of our 2008-2009 Action plan now available in the library at belizetourism.org. Click here to download.

We look forward to strengthening the partnership between the public and private sector and we welcome your feedback via email, telephone or in person at our offices at # 64 Regent St. in Belize City.

Warm Regards,
Tracy Panton
Director of Tourism