Thinking of opening a small hotel/spa in this area or in Ambergris. i I've already posted in the other area and got some good info Now i'm wondering about this area

Tks

J&J

i am in placencia area and i would say all you read about the cayes would apply here as well. it is slow with plenty of empty rooms. it was a rough season for some while others did OK.
i still say it would be a better idea for you to purchase an existing business rather than add a new one to compete.
just my opinion,,,

Seems you are jumping all over the place, the best advice anyone has given you in all the previous post ,, is you have to spend some time in the areas you are questioning...its only foolish to decide otherwise. This is a small country you could take a year and get a good feel of all the areas you have been asking about.

Tourism is extremely slow right now. I own a travel business specializing in Belize and just returned from 10 days in country. Many hotels had very low occupancy and some had no lights on at all! Granted it is low season and the winter months will be better but last year at this time, hotels were hopping. The economy and the double whammy of the swine flu scare have really taken a toll on tourism everywhere, and since Belize was really just getting going with big time tourism, it has taken a big hit. Definitely more locals on the streets & beaches, in the restaurants & clubs than tourists (like the good old days! ;-) Personally, I kinda liked it but my business bottom line sure doesn't!

Yes..6 to 8 yrs ago Caye Caulker was so busy you could not walk down the street. The Ocean Side Bar so busy you had to hold your drink up high and squeeze by,,,there was no economical stress going on that killed that going back 4 yrs or so,,,,do you all locals remember how crazy hot, Placencia..Cyaye Caulker was,,it ended way before the economy did..m y thinking its the cost of airfare,,,RT from most US areas to Cancun,,$300.. RT to Belize right now $800..Belize taxation of flights is killing us.

No kidding Coop, I have been trying every day for a month at least to find a decent flight down there and the prices are outrageous. Not only did they not go down for the week I wanted, they went up (!) for a flight three weeks from now. You'd think there'd be sell-offs right now, hardly the most popular time to go down to Belize. Hate to think what the prices are going to be come winter. Can't afford to come and spread any tourist $$ around yet, but would love to!

We booked a flight to Rome for half the expense of coming to Belize a couple of months ago, it's not going to help the tourism if this keeps up.

I was in England recently, looking for a return flight to Belize. I could fly to New Zealand (antipodes to Britain) for a great deal less than the cheapest fare I was offered to Belize.

My business is down about 80% from where it was last year. Slower than it was post 9/11. Scary. I go whole weeks with no new inquiries at all. I am working on my resume...

I was very concerned last October. I'm much more optimistic for the coming season. But we'll see.

In talking with hotel owners all over Belize, I get the impression that budget and mid-level hotels are doing better than high-end places. There are exceptions, of course, at all levels, but it seems that a segment of travelers is trading down. Value is more important than ever, at all price points.

The large majority of economists say the U.S. recession is now over, and I believe it, but that it will take some time, perhaps a year or longer, for the improvement to be felt in the job market and at the consumer level.

we have been dead for the last 2 months, just a couple drop-in's.
but it is picking up now for the season.
not much different than every year for us.

I know you don't want to hear it but IMHO we have priced ourselves out of the market. I was in Placencia last weekend and paid a rediculous price at a place that I don't want to name but for what it offered it soo wasn't worth what's available elsewhere right now. I know we could have moved elsewhere but after a long day of work just wanted to chill and we did call a few other places and got no answers over the phone. We were in Playa this past weekend and the prices were great for hotels at least compared to the place in Placencia. Must say even San Pedro offers better local rates this time of year.