BTIA Represented at Consultation Workshops for the Cruise And Energy Sectors
BTIA participated in a National Cruise Tourism Policy Planning Workshop which was held at the Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza Hotel in July. It had the participation of over 50 representatives of the cruise ship industry. During the workshop the current and potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the cruise industry and its stakeholders were discussed. One of the priority areas that BTIA focused on was social equity, which includes equal wages for gender, fair labor practices, and childcare for workers in the industry. The objective of the workshop was to assess the current cruise sector trends, competitive advantages, development constraints and opportunities to determine a path forward for the next 10 years.
Earlier this month, the BTIA also participated in the National Energy Policy Stakeholder Consultation Workshop which was hosted by the Ministry of Public Utilities, Energy, Logistics and E-Governance. Eighty persons from across various Ministries, regulatory bodies, and the private sector met at the Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza to review the country’s existing National Energy Policy. The revision of the National Energy Policy focuses on utilizing renewable sources of energy to reduce the cost of power and allow Belize’s energy sector to become more self-sustainable, while reducing carbon emissions and pollution in the environment.
As an organization with over 200 members, it was important for BTIA to have representation at this forum in order to bring focus to key areas that are of concern to the association. These include electricity costs, electricity access in remote areas, environmentally-friendly energy solutions, and availability of financing for energy efficiency upgrades.
