News & Releases
| National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan |
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Background InformationThe National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan will be the major deliverable under component 2 of the Sustainable Tourism Program. Update: Click here to download meeting notes from the NSTMP presentations that was held July 5-11-2011. Largely dependent on the country's natural and cultural resource base, tourism is one of the main engines of growth in the Belizean economy and the principal source of foreign exchange. Until 2008 the industry experienced steady growth averaging 5.4% per annum. However, there has been limited infrastructural planning related to the industry, tourism investment has been largely ad hoc and where policies and frameworks have been in place to guide the industry they have remained little know n and underutilized. The National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan will constitute a clear "actionable" road map, to guide the Government of Belize and tourism industry stakeholders over the next 20 years, based on sustainable tourism principles and practices and following a zoning approach to tourism development. Overall Objective" to define strategies and activities, incorporated within destination specific mapping, that will catalyze the further development of Belize's tourism sector to promote local participation and development based on sustainable tourism principles and practices, including the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) being spearheaded by the United Nations Foundation. The key principles of successful sustainable tourism are defined as environmentally sensitive business operations, support for the protection of cultural and natural heritage, and tangible economic and social benefits to local people". Five Destination Specific Plans will be prepared in accordance with the National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan as follows: |
