Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Newly elected BTIA President Efren Perez visits San Pedro

Share

The Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) San Pedro Chapter recently welcomed their newly elected national president, Efren Perez, who visited San Pedro Town from January 27th through 29th. This visit is part of an initiative to increase BTIA membership and share what the organization has accomplished. The organization believes that with a larger membership, they can enhance their advocacy efforts. While in San Pedro, Perez gave an exclusive interview to The San Pedro Sun, sharing his thoughts and vision for the future.
“I have worked in various capacities in the tourism industry for over 15 years. I’ve been involved with the BTIA for approximately ten years, working directly on different projects, but my overall experience in the industry totals more than 15 years,” he stated.

Mr. Efren Perez

When asked about the importance of the BTIA to tourism, he explained, “BTIA is crucial because we serve as the umbrella organization for the tourism sector. We not only address the needs of hotels but also support everyone involved in the industry. Occasionally, various issues arise that our members face, such as concerns related to taxes or challenges with sargassum, among others. Since BTIA is represented on key committees, we can engage in dialogue on behalf of our members to find the solutions they need. Therefore, it’s important for us to increase our membership in different areas to amplify our voice on these issues.”
He noted that San Pedro is part of this broader membership, and he is committed to ensuring that their needs are addressed. He then shared his vision for the future. “My particular vision is to modernize BTIA as much as possible. I am looking for innovative ways to continue fostering sustainable tourism in the region while closely collaborating with all our key members and stakeholders. We aim to provide them with the necessary tools to achieve their goals, strengthening our collective impact through unity.”
He elaborated on the sustainable tourism strategies, stating, “One of the things we are currently focusing on is how we can provide more training not just in certain areas but countrywide. We are looking at training in both customer service and disaster risk management because we are acutely aware of the hurricanes and flooding that can occur. Our goal is to prepare our members to mitigate the effects of these natural disasters, so training will be a key component for us moving forward.
Mr. Perez further detailed the training initiatives he wants to implement. “We are currently certified regionally through the Service Best, which offers customer service training specifically designed for both frontline employees and management. This training aims to equip employees with the necessary tools and ensure that management is aware of the challenges frontline staff face. In addition to this, we also plan to focus on risk management training. While we haven’t yet determined the specific topics to cover, our intention is to prepare our stakeholders to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters and any other risks that might affect their businesses and bottom line.”

caption: (l-r) BTIA First Vice-President Tamara Sniffin, BTIA President Efren Perez, SP Mayor Wally Nunez, BTIA Executive Director Linette Canto, SP BTIA Board Member Melanie Paz and BTIA Membership Officer Renea Martinez

When asked about initiatives to attract more international visitors, he shared the following insights: “Currently, we are focusing on building alliances with our neighbors, specifically Mexico and Guatemala. We had a successful Guatemala Petén exchange in 2024. The main idea is to connect our hotels and tour operators with those in the region, allowing them to create multi-destination packages. This approach helps us tap into that particular market. So far, we have seen significant success in the northern area. One of the key areas that I believe will benefit San Pedro is our collaboration with CANACO-SERVYTUR in Chetumal. This partnership is promising due to the improved infrastructure in the area, including the international airport in Tulum and the Tren Maya. These developments open up many opportunities for us to attract visitors traveling from Europe to southern Mexico and Belize. By connecting more members with these regional operators, we are creating great opportunities to increase our overnight stays.”
Perez regards Belize as a premier travel destination and hopes to use his platform within BTIA to market the tourism industry further. “We will continue to work closely with the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), particularly regarding their initiatives and our role on the BTB Board of Directors. This involvement allows us to maintain ongoing discussions and explore new opportunities. The Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) is a member of the Federation of Chambers of Tourism in Central America, where I also represent our interests. Additionally, we participate in the committee for Central American Travel Agency (CATA), which promotes the region as a whole.”
These international committees allow BTIA and its members to explore new markets Central America seeks to attract. Building relationships through collaboration is essential. “We will continue working on our regional initiatives to discover ways to partner effectively and enable our properties in Belize to benefit from multi-destination packages. These packages will encourage travelers not only to visit Belize but also to explore other countries in the region,” said Perez.
BTIA has also worked with the Ministry of Tourism, particularly its regional integration unit. “We’ve held meetings in Guatemala and Chetumal to discuss border issues. For instance, the $40 fee previously imposed on Mexicans has been removed, and this removal is also expanding to include people from Quintana Roo and five southern states in Mexico. The Prime Minister also mentioned that Belize cards would be issued to Mexicans for free, facilitating travel. Our goal is to lobby through the Ministry of Tourism to implement this process as early as possible, allowing Mexicans to have at least a seven-day stay in Belize.”
Businesses interested in becoming members of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) can find more information by visiting www.btia.org/join-btia/, visiting the San Pedro Tourism Information Center on Almond Street across from Saca Chispas, or calling 608-2228. The San Pedro BTIA holds membership meetings on the first Tuesday of each month, usually at Pineapples on the Beach at Ramon’s Village Resort, at 1PM. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend.

Read more

 

Please help support Local Journalism in Belize

For the first time in the history of the island's community newspaper, The San Pedro Sun is appealing to their thousands of readers to help support the paper during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1991 we have tirelessly provided vital local and national news. Now, more than ever, our community depends on us for trustworthy reporting, but our hard work comes with a cost. We need your support to keep delivering the news you rely on each and every day. Every reader contribution, however big or small, is so valuable. Please support us by making a contribution.

Local News