The exceptional growth trajectory in overnight tourism and cruise passenger arrivals attest to Belize’s authentic offerings for visitors seeking diverse experiences, which in turn creates vast investment opportunities. In 2018 there was a 14.6% growth in overnight arrivals from 232,249 overnight visitors in 2009 to 489,261 in 2018, another record-breaking year and one of the largest increases in the last decade. However, this is only one side of the success story; the average length of stay remains at 6 days, and the average daily visitor expenditure is at $148 USD; similarly, cruise passenger arrivals continue to surge with over 1.2 million passengers arriving in Belize, a significant increase of 19.1% since 2017, which represented over 190,000 more cruise passengers in 2018. This unprecedented growth is guided by the National Tourism Master Plan 2013 that seeks to foster the continued increase of visitors to Belize while also focusing on the development of various tourism products, such as, but not limited to, nautical, cruise, sun and beach, and leisure and entertainment.

Belize’s unique distinction as a tourism destination is evident through various recognition by renowned entities such as:

Trip Advisor Awards

• Several Belizean Accommodations included in Best Hotels of 2019 Top Awards List

World Travel Awards

• Ka’ana Resort, Belize – Mexico & Central America’s Leading Boutique Resort for 2015 – 2017
• Ambergris Caye – Mexico & Central America’s Leading Destination for 2015 – 2017
• Placencia, Belize – Mexico & Central America’s Leading Beach Destination 2015

Financial Times fDi Magazine Awards

• Best Investment Awards – Hotels
• Best Enhanced Airlift
• Best Sustainable Strategy

The New York Times: 57 Places to Go in 2017

• Placencia, Belize – Listed as #42, citing the opening of Naïa Resort and Spa and Itz’ana Resort & Residences.

Investment Opportunities

The upward trend of visitors to Belize opened the doors to countless opportunities for investors seeking to diversify their investment portfolio. In accordance with the Master Plan, these opportunities include, but are not limited to:

• Nature Tourism, focusing on projects such as inland adventure eco-lodges, which can be developed throughout Belize, and diving and fishing lodges, along Belize’s 185 mile-long coastline and various islands.
• Hotel and Conference Facilities in the growing business metropolis of Belize City, and the country capital, Belmopan City.
• Luxury Boutique Hotel Developments in growing destinations (Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, and Placencia), and in new emerging destinations (Dangriga, Hopkins, Seine Bight, and the Cayo and Corozal Districts).
• Beachfront Resorts on both inland destinations along the coast (Corozal, Placencia, Dangriga, Hopkins, Seine Bight, Punta Gorda Town), and island destinations (Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, and a variety of other islands).
• Facilities for Cruise Tourism, such as commercial centers, featuring shopping, restaurants, cafes, bars, and attractive entertainment centers in the Belize District.
• Nautical Tourism, developing structures for a system of marinas, ports, and services along Belize’s coastline and islands aimed at attracting tourists journeying in yachts, sailboats, and charter boats.
• Investment opportunities in Medical-Tourism include Dentistry, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Preventative Medicine, Physical Rehabilitation, Spa, and Wellness.
• Auto-Rental, featuring branded auto rental services in major ports of entry such as the Philip Goldson International Airport in Ladyville within the Belize District, the Santa Elena Border Station at the Northern Border with Mexico, and the Belize Western Border Station at the Western border with Guatemala.

For more details on investment opportunities in Belize’s Offshore Outsourcing Services Industry, please feel free to contact our team at BelizeINVEST, a unit of BELTRAIDE!

14 Orchid Garden Street

City of Belmopan, Phone: +501-822-3737/0175

Email: investment@belizeinvest.org.bz

Website: www.belizeinvest.org.bz