Here’s why you should postpone – not cancel – your Belize Vacation

            As the world grapples with a pandemic that has taken thousands of lives around the world, our hearts go out to each and everyone who has been affected, directly and indirectly. With the United States urging social distancing, the narrative in tiny Belize is leaning towards the same drastic (but necessary) precautions. Nonetheless, we need your help.

            Undoubtedly there are many institutions – not to mention thousands of individuals – suffering from such an apocalyptic horror-show, and the travel industry is one of the biggest industries to receive a crippling blow from coronavirus. As millions self-quarantine and cancel dinner plans, their Spring Break and summer vacations are canceled with it, leaving bed & breakfasts and tour operators scrambling. Belize is relatively new to the tourism industry, popping up more and more on travelers’ radars in the past decade. If you are a frequent Belize visitor, you know the Jewel has no chain restaurants or hotel franchises and its tourist sites are relatively untouched. Most of the hotels and tour operators are locally owned, with tour guides being exclusively Belizean. Belize’s main source of income is through tourism, and many locals depend on the industry for their livelihood. Because of this, though we commend you on being a responsible traveler and choosing to #StayHome, we strongly urge you to consider rebooking your Belize Vacation for the future.

            Currently, the US airline industry is already seeking a $50b bailout, and the country’s tourism industry is asking for $150b in aid – a first world country that is already centuries older than Belize is asking for help. As a country that relies on tourism arrivals to keep us afloat, we know how valuable your choice to visit Belize is. During this challenging time, we know how important it is to follow precautions posed to us by health officials. However, it is inevitable that a small country like ours will receive tremendous damage from all the canceled trips in the upcoming year – in fact, it already is. But if visitors – who are aware of the amazing experiences we have to offer – postpone their vacation, with time, our local tourism industry will bounce back. Already some major airlines are waiving flight-change fees and other accommodations are being encouraged to do the same.

            There was a reason you booked that flight to Belize, whether you wanted to see the Blue Hole for yourself, or wanted to return just so you can taste those famous fry jacks again. The reasons are all still here, waiting for you to experience them. We hope you keep Belize in your future travel plans and remember what you drew you to the jewel in the first place.

For more information on travel restrictions to Belize, please visit our page here. If you have any questions on future travel to Belize, feel free to email us at info@travelbelize.org or call us toll free at 1-800-624-0686.