Belize Tourism Board showcases adventure, eco-tourism

On Nov. 9, the Belize Tourism Board came to Toronto to introduce a series of new products to the Canadian market.

Toronto marked the second stop for the Belize Tourism Board, who presented in Calgary on Nov. 7.

With the addition of new weekly, non-stop flights to Belize by both Air Canada and WestJet, more and more Canadians are heading down to this beautiful country in Central America, where eco-tours and adventure travel are selling fast.

Travellers who have already been to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, or Panama will find many similarities in Belize’s landscape, such as cascading waterfalls, lush flora, an abundance of wildlife, and of course, spectacular beaches.

“We’re very excited about the new flights back to Belize from Toronto, and the accessibility to Belize City for Canadians” said Deborah Gilharry, senior travel trade officer, Belize Tourism Board, during last night's event. “In 2016, 298,157 travellers came to Belize, and about six per cent of those numbers were from Canada, and we hope that with the new flights from Calgary and Toronto we can increase that number to 10 to 12 per cent. That’s our goal, and we’re very optimistic about that.”

WestJet Vacations has put together several packages for Canadian travellers looking to head down to Belize City, which allow vacationers to choose from a variety of three- to four-star resorts. “The main thing to remember is that the packages with WestJet Vacations include your flight from Toronto or Calgary to Belize City, the regional flight from Belize City to whatever resort you’re travelling to with Tropic Air, and also the land transfers from that regional airport to the hotel and back,” said Barbara Polanco, product manager, WestJet Vacations. “It’s non-stop shopping, with everything all packaged together.”

Barbara Polanco, product manager, WestJet Vacations

Although the majority of the Caribbean experienced damage from Hurricanes Irma and Maria, Belize was untouched. “Over the years we’ve had threats like hurricanes, but we’ve never experienced any loss of lives or structural damage, and we are very fortunate for that,” Gilharry said.

For first-time travellers to Belize, there are many cultural attractions to take in around the city, but Gilharry recommends doing a little bit of everything.

“It’s always a great experience to get a combination of the jungle and the beach combined,” Gilharry said. “Stay a few nights in the jungle and take an eco adventure tour, go horseback riding, or explore a Mayan temple, and then hit the beach to wind down; take a snorkel with the sharks and stingrays amongst the beautiful corals. It’s truly an amazing experience when you combine it this way.”

Belize has the second largest barrier reef in the world, but after the damage to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef last year, Belize now has the largest living coral reef in the world. “We’re very big on preserving our natural resources and we take very good care of them. More than 50 per cent of our landmass is protected as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, and visitors will find many of these things.”

Deborah Gilharry, senior travel trade officer, Belize Tourism Board, and Jana Puga, travel trade officer, Belize Tourism Board.

“We see a lot of hotels becoming more eco-friendly and a few are green-globe certified. It’s something we’ve been trying to build more awareness of with the Ministry of Tourism and educate people, because it’s a big aspect of Belize. More than two-thirds of our rainforest is still intact and it’s very much something we are aware of, and we are happy to see that the resorts and hoteliers are looking towards sustainable practices.”

Next year, new tours are coming to Belize, including a scenic waterfall tour by pontoon boat — during which guests will be treated to a barbecue.

“We’ve been promoting our culinary aspect a lot more, and we’ve done a few culinary shows,” Gilharry said. Belize’s gastronomy is heavily influenced by Mayan, Yucatan and Mexican culture, which means foods like avocado, beef, beans, and rice are prominent in the culinary experience.

With its beautiful beaches, Belize is also a very popular spot for a destination wedding, and as Gilharry points out, couples can choose anything from a traditional church ceremony, to tying the knot underneath a waterfall.

“We have people getting married near Mayan temples, and even exchanging vows right on the water, and this is why Belize is a great destination; you’re getting a very unscripted and authentic experience like no other.”

“We’re seeing new developments where the resorts are concerned, and recently we’ve added Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club Curio, which is part of the Hilton Collection,” Gilharry said. This property is currently available as a package from WestJet Vacations.

Departures from Calgary to Belize City with WestJet started on Oct. 30 2017, and will run through April 28 2017 on Fridays. Flights out of Toronto to Belize City with WestJet will operate every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday and began on Nov. 6 2018, running through April 22 2018.

For more information on booking Belize, visit www.belizetourismboard.com or https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/book-trip/destination-guide/discover/belize-city