A proposed new airport in northern Ambergris Caye and the potential closure of the existing John Greif II Municipal Airport continue to raise concerns among San Pedro residents, business owners, and tourism stakeholders. While participants at a recent tourism industry meeting opposed the new airport proposal, the San Pedro Town Council has formally objected to closing the downtown terminal.
The Government of Belize maintains that the existing airport is approaching its operational capacity and that a new facility would help accommodate the island’s growing aviation demands. Discussions have included a possible opening in 2030 and a longer runway capable of accommodating larger regional aircraft, private jets and charter flights. However, officials say the project remains under discussion, and no decision has been made to close or relocate the existing airport.
At a meeting of the San Pedro Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) on Monday, November 2nd, stakeholders voiced their opposition to constructing a new airport on the island. BTIA National President Efren Perez and local chapter head Melanie Paz presided over the meeting at Sunbreeze Hotel.
Area Representative Honorable Andre Perez joined the meeting as participants discussed the proposal. Stakeholders called for greater attention to infrastructure, traffic congestion, garbage collection, wastewater management, environmental conservation, adequate housing, health services, and public safety. Participants argued that the proposed investment in a new airport could instead address these priorities.
Tropic Air’s chief executive officer, Maximillian “Max” Greif, said relocating airline operations to northern Ambergris Caye would affect tourism and businesses established around the current airport. “This proposal to move the airport about two hours north will completely disrupt that way of life for everyone,” Greif said.
He added that the government had encouraged local airlines to consider acquiring larger aircraft, including 70-seat ATR 72 twin-engine planes, to reduce flights between the island and the mainland. Greif argued that operating such aircraft on the short route would not be economically feasible. “The aircraft is not built to fly 15 minutes. The economics will not support it,” he said. Greif also mentioned that the San Pedro airport has experienced a 17% decrease in the number of flight operations over the past eight years, due to increase efficiency investments. He also went on to share with everyone at the meeting the industry’s concern of following the path of Tulum, Mexico economic collapse. The Mexican city has been experiencing a major downturn in airline operations.
As the discussion turned to the proposed 2030 timeline, Honorable Perez agreed that public consultation was necessary and expressed reservations about closing the existing airport. He disputed suggestions that the project had already been approved, saying it remained under discussion. “I will take note of all your concerns, and I agree that public consultation must take place regarding this proposed airport,” he said. He added that the community’s concerns should inform further discussions. However, many at the gathering thought Perez’s position on central government’s proposed airport construction remained unclear.
On Tuesday, November 3rd, the San Pedro Town Council issued an official position, saying it voted to oppose closing the existing airport. The council pledged to advocate its position directly with the Government of Belize and other relevant authorities. “No decision to close or relocate the existing airport has been made,” the council stated.
The council explained that the proposed new airport was one component of a broader development concept for Ambergris Caye. It said numerous planning, technical and regulatory requirements would need to be addressed before the proposal could advance to formal consideration.
Central government also issued a statement on Tuesday, describing the proposed airport as an initiative intended to meet future demand. It said the government and the Belize Airport Authority (BAA) aim to develop aviation infrastructure that can support San Pedro’s growth over the coming decades while improving safety, efficiency, connectivity and economic opportunity.
The statement acknowledged concerns about the airport’s eventual closure.
“Those concerns are understandable and deserve thoughtful consideration. Any transition would be undertaken only through careful planning, consultation, and coordination with airlines, regulatory authorities, businesses, and the people of San Pedro,” the release stated.
Prime Minister Honorable Briceño, who also oversees civil aviation, said replacing the John Greif II Municipal Airport has been under discussion since 2020. He noted that domestic air traffic to and from San Pedro can become congested because of the island’s importance as a tourism destination.
“The San Pedro municipal airport cannot be expanded, so you cannot get bigger planes to fly into that airport,” Briceño said.
He added that local airlines had been involved in discussions and that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) was studying how and where to develop a new airport. Stakeholders, however, said they had not been presented with supporting data or a traffic study.
Briceño said the IDB must complete its study and share the findings with him before sharing the project and plans with airlines, the town council, and other stakeholders. “It’s a decision that we may have to make, but we are not there yet,” he told the media.