“Connecting Belize to the World”

airline development commit has been on increasing airlift capacity into the capacity.”

Sharing the same sentiment as the minister Director of Tourism, Evan Tillett of the

Belize Tourism Board stated during an interview that, “airlift is the lifeblood of tourism and it's an opportunity that can grow tourism. The more accessible the destination is through airlift it will allow more growth for the destination.”

He went on, "It's like courting, you may be able to get it accomplished in a day or you might get it accomplished ten to fifteen years down the road, but you must be committed to that process, and at the BTB through the airline development committee we are committed to that process."

The Belize Times

Mr. Tillett, Director of Tourism, B.T.B., “One of the major hurdles right now is that the airlines are still working for position to get back to where they were 2019; they are still building out back their networks to get there. You have pilot issues, equipment issues, and logistic issues. All those things are some of the challenges that make it difficult for us to get new connec -

Continued on page 5

On Friday, April 28, 2023, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Belize Tourism Board hosted the first-ever Belize Airlift Development Conference. The one-day conference has held under the theme “Connecting Belize to the World”. The news that air travel will get a $250 Million facelift to the Philip Goldson Airport was just out of Cabinet. So the conference got a boost.

The aim of the conference was to increase and improve air traffic to the Jewel. It saw stakeholders from all sectors that share in the passion and plans as they will play a critical role too.

For context over sixty percent (60%) of people worldwide travel by air. Air traffic to Belize is around eighty percent (80%) of tourists who would first enter the country via the PGIA (Philip Goldson International Airport). Growth in airlift means further development of the tourism industry which translates into economic growth and social protection. This has been one of the main priorities and the brainchild of Tourism Minister Anthony Mahler and his team.

Nico Gurwicz, Vice President Campbell-Hill Aviation, "The feedback that we have gotten from all these different airlines that we have met and let’s say the general; feedback, some of them were more positive than others are that they do see an opportunity here. This is something that doesn't happen overnight, and we need to follow up and continue to update those airlines. Some airlines wanted to the point that: We would love to do this and it's definitely something we will include in, our short to mid-term plans. Some airlines were more on this is something we will look at longer-term plans, but I think, my perspective is not so much a question of, if it will happen but more of a question of when it will happen."

Hon. Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations, “Airlift into a destination like Belize is the lifeblood of the industry, a lot of spinoffs come from that and so if you increase your capacity into a destination like Belize then the supply chain has to respond. And so, my focus and the focus of our

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The general public is hereby notified that in accordance with Part 111, Section 9 (1) (b) of the Village Council Act, Chapter 88 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020, and Section 3 of the Village Council (Elections) Regulation 2009, (Statutory Instrument 134 of 2009), the following Village Councils have declared vacancies within their councils as follows: Belize

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