Belize Receives 2004 Readers' Choice Awards

Belize City, Tuesday, January 27, 2004
According to readers of Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine, the atolls of Belize rank among the Top Ten Dive Destinations and Top Five Healthiest Marine Environments.

Rodale's Scuba Diving, which has a circulation of 185,000, periodically conducts highly detailed surveys to discern top choices in various diving-related categories, specifically according to reader opinion. The survey includes thousands of both print and electronic readers, whose demographics notably correspond with those of a major target audience for the industry in Belize. The awards are categorized regionally, with the three categories being Caribbean/At lantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean and North America. Belize, falling within the Caribbean/Atlantic category, receives these awards in the company of Bonaire; Cozumel, Mexico; Little Cayman and Cayman Brac; and Grand Turk and Salt Cay, Turks and Caicos.

"As most of the public is aware, Belize has some of the most amazing diving/snorkeling to offer," comments Director of Tourism Tracy Taegar. "Our receipt of these awards represents visitors' recognition and appreciation of that fact. Having our diving destinations, in this case the atolls, recognized for their pristine condition is equally important, because as a country we strive to maintain the best conditions for our natural resources."

Belize has maintained a rather favorable record with Rodale's readers, as in 2001 the atolls also placed among the Healthiest Marine Environments and Ambergris has repeatedly ranked among the top destinations for snorkeling and diving.