Thank you for that Canam.

Just my two cents.... last Dec. came to SP and US Airways charged $667.00 per person from GSP (Greenville/Spartanburg) to Charlotte and then to Belize City. Now -- for this Dec. the exact same Flight numbers and times and the fare is............. $1,267.00 per person.

Can't handle that kind of increase so looked around and have to drive to Charlotte and go American Airlines to Miami ant then to Belize City -- fare only $850.00 now. That is a 27% increase in one year!!

So, Elbert, as a newcomer that loved SP the first time... can't say when I will be coming back after this Dec. -- so yes, the whole thing (gas prices, falling dollar, increasing cost of travel) will have a big effect on how many mid-income tourists come down to Belize. I hate it, but it is true...

Julian

The future doesn't look very bright for Belize does it? The tropical storm and the rain followed by it set our country back $100 million, at the same time tourism is crumbling, and prices are rising out of control. GOB, BTB, SPBA, BHA, BTIA, SPTGA, need to get together and undertake some coordinated action.

I hope you aren't just going to roll over and die until you see a real effect of this and not just internet hysteria.

I don't want to sound cruel and uncaring but the tropical storm effected the mainland it was business as usual here on the islands shortly after the storm , we are and always will be a different world than the mainland of Belize.
Folks don't really understand that when they see and here news like'Belize Devastated'.
I was surprised by that post on a sunny day before I went diving with a boat load of happy tourist.

Elbert the tropical storm did not just effect the mainland. It was worse a million times over but the news lumps Belize as a whole. Many people are now thinking twice about coming here and I had to reassure several clients that we were fine. Also when the news headlines the first Hurricane of an active hurricane season hits Belize then a lot of people think of going elsewhere.
Gas prices are effecting all of us! We cost a lot more then other vacation destinations.
It is not doom and gloom it is business owners trying to figure out what we can do to make things better. I fully agree with short our tourism boards and business associations need to find a plan of action to counter balance the slump.

fares come, fares go. book early if you can. i have seen fares from eugene oregon vary from 600 to 1300 over the last 15 years not including this gas insanity period. previous to that. so that fluctuation has always been there.

There are some solutions in the making; some airlines fly slower to conserve energy, some consider alternative jet fuel from algae and my personal favorite: Nuclear-Powered Planes!

But seriously, all the interest groups in Belize Tourism together should be able to come up with a master plan don't you think?

PS, I know the Nuclear Planes idea is an oldie.

I think that the BTB and the various groups can only do so much. In general Belize has a lot of work to do with regards to nurturing it's tourism industry and they should focus on what they CAN control (image, advertising etc). All the meetings in the world won't be able to off-set any major decline seen due to this current economic situation. I like the idea of the nuclear planes short, lol.

I had some guests booked to arrive last weekend and dive for the week. I gather they didn't even turn up at the hotel they'd booked. I don't know yet, but remembering previous conversations with them I suspect they went somewhere other than Belize.

I'm afraid I also believe that Belize has a mountain to climb. Air fares to come here are sky rocketing, just at the same time that most people are tightening their belts because of recession at home, and people are now looking for the best bang for their buck. Belize doesn't provide it.

This may be a temporary insane period for oil prices, but many industry experts don't think so. The general concensus seems to be that the day of cheap air fares affordable by anybody are over. I hope they're wrong but I fear they're not.