Business & Economy

To control price gouging across the country, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise created a Price Control Unit (PCU) and has sent inspectors to different municipalities to address non-compliant establishments. In San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, the 11 stores visited by inspectors were ticketed for price control violations. In Caye Caulker, non-compliance was reported at 75% of businesses visited, and inspectors received minimal cooperation from establishments.

After being closed for over three years, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) office branch in San Pedro Town re-opened on Monday, October 30th, during an official ceremony at the Sunset Boardwalk. The anticipated BTB satellite office on the island is now located at the international water taxi terminal at the Sunset Boardwalk. It will be essential for tour operators, tour guides, and other tourism stakeholders, who will now be assisted with their tourism queries and processes on the island without the need to travel to the mainland.

During a two-day seminar (October 25-26) held in San Pedro Town with island stakeholders, the sessions aimed to develop action plans for promoting and expanding a local market for the Pitahaya (Dragon Fruit) harvested in Belize. The workshop was made possible through the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise joint efforts, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Belize Marketing and Development Corporation (BMDC), and the Ministry of Tourism.

On Tuesday, October 17th, the European Union (EU) added the Seychelles, Antigua, Barbuda, and Belize to its tax haven blacklist. It removed the British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, and the Marshall Islands. The Government of Belize (GOB) rejected this decision by the EU, referring to it as false and unfair in designating the Jewel as a ‘non-cooperative jurisdiction for tax purposes.’

On Friday, October 13th, a graduation ceremony was held at the Sunbreeze Hotel conference room where 30 women were recognized for completing a manicure and pedicure training facilitated by non-profit organization Hope Haven Children’s Home and Empowerment Center in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Taiwan Technical Mission in Belize. The training also helped the participants with marketing skills, budgeting, work ethics, and the best strategies for starting and managing a business establishment.

San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, has been without a Belize Tourism Board (BTB) office for over three years after it closed in June 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This office is essential for tour operators, tour guides, and other industry partners, and as a result, the closure has led to trips to the mainland for tourism queries. But those days are about to be a thing of the past, as on Thursday, October 5th, during a meeting with Tourism Minister Honourable Anthony Mahler, San Pedro stakeholders were informed that the BTB office would soon be re-opened.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Belize’s economy plummeted after the tourism industry came to a grinding halt. Fast-forward to 2023, the tourism industry has returned, but some believe it doesn’t compare to 2019. On Thursday, September 28th, the Ministry of Tourism shared an update on the state of the industry, citing that the overnight arrivals continue to show improvement and the upcoming high season is expected to be very successful.

On Saturday, September 2nd, the construction plans of a five-star Four Seasons resort on Caye Chapel were revealed during a groundbreaking ceremony on the private island. The international luxury hotel and resort company plans to construct a 104-room hotel, 50 private residences, a 10-hole White Shark Golf Course designed by retired professional golfer Greg Norman, and over-the-water accommodations that include hotel guests’ rooms, shared facilities, and a detached swimming area offshore. Other amenities will include an upgraded marina, health and wellness facility, a private beach clubhouse, restaurants, cafes, and a 3,400-foot runway for Cessna planes. Caye Chapel Four Seasons is set to open in 2025.