Sustainability
Belize holds responsible tourism at the core of its value systems, developing projects that encourage travellers to engage with the country’s rainforests, reefs, and unique culture in a truly sustainable and responsible manner. In an effort to protect endangered species such as the jaguar, Belize is a critical partner of the Maya Forest Corridor, protecting landscapes from Belize’s Maya Mountains, through the tri-national Maya forest of Belize, Mexico, and Guatemala – the most extensive continuous stretch of jungle in Central America.
What’s more, with a variety of tour operators offering packages that support local community tourism, the Belize Tourism Board enables travellers to responsibly engage with local Garifuna culture. Whether you want to learn a little Creole, or experience traditional Garifuna dance forms such as Punta, these ‘Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity’ – as recognised by UNESCO in 2001 – visitors can support community tourism ventures. For those with an affinity to water, Belize also boasts 386km of spectacular Caribbean coastline and the second largest reef in the world. Belize intends to continue to lead the way in reef protection and sustainable tourism, having launched a reef protection programme featuring a new wreck diving site allowing divers to explore the marine life and waters while reducing strain on these radiant reefs and eco-systems.
The below offers an easy-to-use directory for visitors to Belize to be able to search for responsible tourism organisations within the country when planning their visit.