Tourism Enhancement in Protected Areas Program Targets Sustainable Tourism and Conservation

Belize City, Belize – March 13, 2026 ─ The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) and the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) officially launched the Tourism Enhancement in Protected Areas Program on March 11 at the Lord Ashcroft Centre in Belize City, marking a significant step forward in Belize’s commitment to sustainable tourism and protected area management.

The launch event introduced the program’s first funding cohort, with the formal signing of grant agreements by three organizations dedicated to advancing sustainable tourism and conservation within Belize’s protected areas: the Belize Karst Habitat Conservation, the Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association, and the Belize Audubon Society.

Jointly funded by the BTB and PACT, the program aims to strengthen visitor experiences while supporting conservation efforts and community development within the country’s protected areas. Projects were selected by a committee comprising representatives from BTB, PACT, the Ministry of Tourism, Youth, Sports, and Diaspora Relations, and the National Biodiversity Office.

The funded projects will support a range of tourism enhancement and conservation initiatives:

• Belize Karst Habitat Conservation (BKHC) will implement the Thousand Foot Falls Tourism Enhancement Project, which includes upgrades to the 2.5-mile access road, installation of a solar power system, refurbishment of a multi-purpose building for a café, gift shop and micro-museum, and youth tour guide training.
• Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA) will lead the Sustainable Tourism and Conservation – Turneffe Atoll Project, featuring a new pier at Mauger Caye, shaded rest areas and an observation tower at Caye Bokel, a gift shop at Calabash Caye, and the establishment of a ranger outpost with radar technology.
• The Belize Audubon Society (BAS) will implement the Sustainable Tourism and Community Development Project at St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park, including trail and cave pathway rehabilitation, parking and facility upgrades, and cave tour training for 30 tour operators, 50 tour guides, and eight rangers.

“This partnership between the Belize Tourism Board and the Protected Areas Conservation Trust reflects a shared national understanding that sustainable tourism depends on healthy ecosystems, and healthy ecosystems depend on sustained investment and stewardship,” said Hon. Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Solid Waste Management.

He added that “When tourism revenues are reinvested into protected area management and community stewardship, tourism becomes not just an economic activity, but a powerful mechanism for conservation finance and long-term environmental resilience.”

Remarks were also delivered by Mrs. Nicole Usher Solano, CEO of the Ministry of Tourism, Youth, Sports & Diaspora Relations; Mr. Abil Castañeda, the Executive Director of the Protected Areas Conservation Trust, and Mr. Andrew Usher, Director of Industry Development & Guest Experience at the Belize Tourism Board.

Through the Tourism Enhancement in Protected Areas Program, BTB and PACT aim to support initiatives that enhance visitor experiences, strengthen conservation efforts, and generate meaningful economic opportunities for communities connected to Belize’s protected areas.

###

For more information, contact:

Khaila Gentle

Tourism Awareness and Public Engagement Officer

Belize Tourism Board

[email protected]

Jeanelle Mencias

Communications and Marketing Manager

Protected Areas Conservation Trust

[email protected]