Dear Industry Partners,

Warm Greetings from the BTB!

Tracy Panton: CEO, Ministry of Tourism and Culture

The Belize Tourism Board is proud to announce the appointment of a new Board of Directors appointed on April 4, 2012, as approved by the Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr., Minister of Tourism and Culture.  The ten-member board is comprised of three of its former members along with six new board members.  We welcome on board Tracy Paton, who had once served as BTB’s Director of Tourism and now serves as the newly appointed CEO in the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.  As such, she is one of the new board members.

Drawn from discipline and expertise, the board members understand their key role in the crucial development and continued achievements of the BTB, translating to an overall economic growth for the Belize Tourism Industry.  The new board and its governing chair express its sincere appreciation for the opportunity to be intimately involved in this vital industry.

“It is paramount to position Belize globally as one of the most attractive emerging destinations, while ensuring efficiency and improved standards within the industry, and guaranteeing ease of entry for tourists arriving in Belize,” said Ian Lizarraga, “Our first order of business, however, is to address the hiring of a new Director of Tourism and a new Marketing Director”.  Mr. Lizarraga replaces the outgoing chairlady Marian Roberson from San Ignacio Resort.

The newly appointed board is as follows:

• Ian Lizarraga, Chairperson, Representative of Belize Western Region
• Tracy Panton, CEO of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
• Roger Espejo, City Council Representative
• Gaspar Guerrero, San Pedro Representative
• Einer Gomez, Belize Hotel Association Representative
• Neil Bradley, Outer Island Representative
• James Scott, Belize Tourism Industry Association Representative
• Robert Pennel, Southern Representative
• Emil Arguelles, Attorney-at-Law
• Orlando de la Fuente, Northern Regional Representative

The BTB takes this opportunity to thank its past chairlady and all past members of the BTB Board of Directors for their services to the BTB, the Tourism Industry and to our beautiful country, Belize.

Yours in Tourism,

The BTB