San Pedro, Orange Walk, Belmopan, to form sister city partnership with Bacalar, Mexico

San Pedro, Orange Walk, Belmopan, and Bacalar, Mexico, have embarked on a sister city collaboration to boost tourism, promote cultural exchange, and advance sustainable development. The initiative took a significant step forward with a preliminary exchange on August 7th, during which the mayors of each municipality discussed actionable plans.
The partnership seeks to create a strategic link for tourism growth, recognizing the potential for the four communities to complement one another. As the Mayor of San Pedro explained in an interview on August 12th, “Bacalar is becoming a focal point for tourism right now and Tren Maya is coming to Chetumal,” underscoring the geographic and economic value of the alliance.
Talks focused on fostering cultural connections and implementing sustainable tourism practices. Some logistical matters remain unresolved due to scheduling conflicts. Mayor Nuñez noted, “We were supposed to have met on the 14th in Bacalar as it’s their festival and they invited us to be there, but some of the other mayors had previous commitments and couldn’t make it.” He added, “We are looking at the 25th of August possibly as the date to finalize our action plan, but we have not finalized the date.”
The initiative aims to create a dynamic platform for sharing knowledge, resources, and strategies to enhance tourism and community development in San Pedro and Belize as a whole.