January 2023

The holiday season means different things to different people. People are either traveling to see family or booking a vacation to get away from the busy season. Many are planning holiday outings, reserving hotel rooms and making travel plans for the new year. Hoteliers can capitalize on these festive times to set yourself up for marketing success in 2023. Here are a few simple tips to incorporate into your hotel’s social media strategy during the holidays.

BTIA’s President, Stewart Krohn and Executive Director, Linette Canto completed their 2022 destination visits with stops in Placencia and Dangriga. BTIA Placencia held their Annual General Meeting on October 21, which culminated with the election of a new board that is led by Chairperson Elysia Dial. This was followed by a mixer which allowed for BTIA executives and members to socialize and network over food and drinks.

BTIA Toledo Chapter held their year-end Membership Mixer on Friday, December 9th in Punta Gorda Town. Representation came from all areas of the Toledo District including Punta Gorda Town Council, Punta Gorda Police Department, media outlets, numerous tourism stakeholders within the district and local associations.

The Mistletoe Ball, the largest and most glamorous holiday celebration on the Placencia Peninsula, was held on Saturday December 10th, at the beautiful Umaya Resort. With the last Ball being held in 2019 it is safe to say the Peninsula community was more than ready for this night and they were not disappointed.

In late November, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) in collaboration with BTIA hosted a series of Profile Builder 101 Workshops which were held in Punta Gorda, Placencia, Hopkins and Cayo. The workshops were focused on the one-on-one profile creation for the Travel Belize and Belizean Traveller websites.

In November, Hon. Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism & Diaspora Relations, Mrs. Nicole Solano, CEO, Ministry of Tourism & Diaspora Relations and Mr. Evan Tillett, Director of Tourism, met with the Board of Directors of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA).

Caye Caulker BTIA has successfully conducted its first ever training of lifeguards. This 40-hour, in-person training was held from November 14 to November 18 in Caye Caulker via the institutional strengthening initiative which was supported by BTB’s Matching Grants Programme. Eight persons were trained in basic lifeguarding skills with the aim of becoming fully trained lifeguards by June 2023.

The Memorial Park in Belize City sits on the sea front and offers a memorial to fallen World War I soldiers. It has become a historic landmark providing a venue for leisure and economic activity for residents of the city. The Belize City Council and the Belize Tourism Board recognize that there is much potential for further development of the park and have formed a steering committee that will review and make recommendations for improvement.