Belize wins Gold for Most Desirable Emerging Destination at Wanderlust Awards

Belize won Gold in the Most Desirable Emerging Destination category at the 25th annual Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards in London, England. The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) announced the recognition on November 6th, highlighting the country’s return to the World Travel Market (WTM) London trade show after a 15-year hiatus.
During WTM, the Belizean delegation promoted upcoming luxury resorts and new travel connections, showcasing the country’s tourism offerings to international industry partners. Belize’s attractions include the Great Blue Hole, San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, Secret Beach, Caye Caulker, and Glover’s Reef. In its award write-up, Wanderlust highlighted the Belize Barrier Reef, Maya archaeological sites, wildlife, and Garifuna traditions in Hopkins and Dangriga. It also noted improved accessibility through a same-day connection from London via Montreal.
The awards ceremony took place at the Painted Hall of the Old Royal Naval College in Maritime Greenwich, London, on November 4th. More than 250,000 readers participated in this year’s awards, casting over 8.2 million votes across multiple categories. Belize moved up from Silver to Gold, finishing ahead of Guatemala and Armenia, which received Silver and Bronze, respectively.
Prince Harry made a surprise appearance at the ceremony and delivered an unannounced keynote address focused on sustainable tourism. He urged travel industry leaders to recognize their responsibility to protect destinations and the communities that call them home. “If tourism stops working for the people who call these destinations home, eventually it stops working for everyone,” he said.
The BTB said the award reflects Belize’s growing appeal among international travelers. “This is a big achievement for Belize as more travelers around the world continue to discover our gem and all that it has to offer,” the board stated. It also thanked Wanderlust readers who voted for Belize.
Wanderlust is a United Kingdom travel publication that has covered authentic, sustainable, and off-the-beaten-track travel for more than 30 years. Its annual reader awards recognize destinations, organizations, and travel experiences valued by its audience, with categories covering countries, cities, islands, airlines, and tour operators.