2023 Tourism Statists show impressive Overnight and Cruise Arrivals

Belize’s Tourism Industry has made a remarkable rebound following the Covid-19 pandemic. With the number of overnight tourists steadily increasing each month, 2023 is on track to register over five hundred thousand visitors by the end of the year.
According to the Belize Tourism Board‘s (BTB) latest Tourism Statistics, Belize has seen an impressive 408,962 overnight arrivals in 2023 as of November. According to a BTB press release, “the latest statistics for both overnight and cruise ship tourist arrivals provide a clear and strong signal that Belize’s tourism has recovered and is now poised to achieve higher records in the New Year. Last year, 2022, registered 370,524 overnight tourist arrivals, representing a 69.2% growth over the previous year.” Cruise Passenger Arrivals are also on the rise, with the total number of arrivals for 2023 as of November being 777,838 compared to 615,021 for 2022.
To date, March 2023 saw the highest number of overnight arrivals for the year, with 52,431 visitors entering via the ports of Belize. In Belize, the increased tourism season is between December and April 2023, seeing a stable number of visitors throughout the year, even in the months considered “slow season.” The respective number of overnight tourist arrivals for each month in 2023 is as follows: January 42,412; February – 48,476; March – 52,432; April – 42,833; May – 32,871; June 38,819; July 43,059; August 33,358; September 19,767; October – 19,132; November 35,804.
The Philip Goldson International Airport (PGIA) remains the primary port of entry for tourists, receiving 312,228 arrivals in 2023 to date. The increase in international flights in 2023 has contributed to the healthy overnight arrival numbers. Most recently, JetBlue inaugurated its non-stop flight from New York City’s John Fitzgerald Kennedy International Airport.
As 2023 ends, BTB expects the number of tourists to continue increasing in 2024. According to the Belize Chamber of Commerce, tourism is Belize’s number one Foreign Exchange Earner for the Economy, contributing millions each month.