Vision of private islands, five-star hotels and high-end villa and lodge accommodation moves closer
The countdown is well and truly on for Belize’s National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan (NSTMP) 2030, with only seven years remaining until target objectives are assessed for the final time and progress measured.
“The vision of the NSTMP is for Belize (as a destination) to be a recognized embodiment, within its international marketplaces as a unique, authentic, sustainable and competitive world-class destination,” notes the Belize Tourism Board (BTB). “The strategic goals of the NSTMP 2030 are to provide: Leadership which will support the Belizean stakeholders in taking leadership over sustainable tou- rism development; optimization of socio-economic benefits from tourism; sustainable tourism planned development; and competitiveness in achieving world-class destination status.”
The overriding objective of the NSTMP 2030 is to more than double overnight tourist arrivals while enhancing average length of stay and daily expenditure. This includes a focus on upscale priva- te island developments as well as more traditional high-end, luxury, five-star hotel, exclusive villa and lodge accommodation. “Luxury and very-low to low density mix development use business models for private islands that cater to very exclusive clientele,” the NSTMP 2030 says. Investment in beach boutique hotels is also required so Belize can offer “high-end to luxury and very low to low-density coastal accommodation facilities with beach access, catering to the needs of exclusive clientele looking to relax and enjoy pristine beaches and complementary services.”
Travelers lucky enough to be able to afford private jets or helicopters can take advantage of a “Luxury Tourism” programme which offers a streamlined immigration and arrivals process for private aviation passengers. The programme aims to provide outstanding, exclusive, and convenient tourism services and experiences to tourists. Other tourism segment niches are also being explored, according to Briceño. “We are looking at special areas like medical tourism, conference center de- velopment or sport tourism,” he says. “We have the advantage of being small and compact, but with many opportunities and features that people want to experience, or wish to invest in.”