Hon. Anthony Mahler was officially sworn in as Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations on Monday, November 16th, 2020. He was appointed by the newly elected Prime Minister after the country’s general elections, which were held on Wednesday, November 11th, 2020. Minister Mahler is no stranger to tourism, and is fully committed to the work ahead. In his first meeting with the staff of the Ministry of Tourism and the Belize Tourism Board, he gave words of encouragement and reiterated his commitment to working in partnership with all stakeholders to restore the industry. “We are committed to recovering the tourism industry after COVID-19’s devastating blow to the economy. Our priority is to support tourism businesses and jobs, and restore traveler confidence. We must stimulate demand for travel to Belize in spite of COVID-19,” commented Minister Mahler, “and we must remain optimistic.”
Other areas of focus under Minister Mahler’s administration include the development of the tourism product,
training, and the ongoing innovation and transformation toward more sustainable and resilient models of tourism
development. Minister Mahler is also committed to developing a meaningful structure to engage the Belizean
diaspora. The Border Management Agency also falls within his portfolio.
He was a previous Director of Product Development at the Belize Tourism Board, then later moved on to Speednet
Communications Limited as the Director of Marketing, before being elected to the House of Representatives. Minister Mahler holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, a Master’s
Program Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis, a Certificate in Strategic Management from Tuck Institute at
Dartmouth, and has served in managerial capacities in both the public and private sectors.
About Belize Tourism Board
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) is a statutory body within the Belize Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, and it is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation. The BTB works in conjunction with members of the private sector – including the Belize Hotel Association, Belize Tourism Industry Association and Belize National Tour Operators Association – and is dedicated to building tourism in the most economically and environmentally sustainable manner. As a part of its responsibilities, the BTB promotes Belize as a premier tourism destination to both in-country and international consumers. Among its outreach to the international travel market, the BTB markets the country’s unique attractions to travelers, members of the travel trade industry and media outlets in key markets. The BTB is also dedicated to developing and implementing tourism programs that will help strengthen and grow the Belizean tourism industry; promote good destination
stewardship; and instill high quality standards for accommodations and travel experiences. For more information on the BTB and its services, visit www.travelbelize.org.
