Project Development Director appointed at the Ministry of Tourism

[Linked Image] Belize City, Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 - The Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation & Culture and the Belize Tourism Board, are pleased to announce the new addition to its team, Mr. Noel Jacobs, Project Development Director - Belize Sustainable Tourism Management Program.

The Belize Sustainable Tourism Program (IDB-2060/OC-BL) is a response to challenges that must be faced if Belize's tourism sector is to grow in a manner that is economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. The intention is to strengthen the sector's contribution to the national economy by consolidating the overnight tourism market with investments and activities along three inter-related fronts: (i) enhancing the tourism experience and resource sustainability at consolidated destinations subject to pressure; (ii) diversifying tourism products in emerging destinations for the overnight market segment; and (iii) strengthening tourism institutions for policy development, destination planning and management. The project is being funded by the Government of Belize and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) through a loan of US$13.322 million.

The focus will be Belize's key tourism destinations, namely San Ignacio and its surroundings, which has gained the reputation as the ecotourism center of Belize; Ambergris Caye, Belize's main tourism destination (accounting for approximately 49% of visits in 2007); Placencia Peninsula and village, and Belize City, which serves as the gateway for most overnight visitors and all cruise ship passengers.

Mr. Jacobs holds a Master of Science Degree in Marine Biology from the Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV) del Instituto Politécnico Nacional of Mexico. He also holds numerous certificates of Executive and Management Courses held throughout the world, in topics ranging from Biodiversity Management to Political and Economic Reform. Some notable courses include 'Leaders in Development: Managing Political & Economic Reform' at John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University; 'Negotiation and Decision Making Strategies' at Columbia University's Graduate School of Business. During the last twelve years, his work experience has included the design, preparation and implementation of the 4-country multi- sectored/multi-disciplinary Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Systems Project; biodiversity planning and management at both the national and regional level; general project design and management; project and institutional monitoring and evaluation; strategic planning, delivered multiple training courses both nationally and internationally to organizations in varying aspects of institutional development; and numerous national and regional consultancies focused on multi-country biodiversity management and policy formulation.

"We are confident that the addition of Mr. Jacobs to the team will serve to compliment the Ministry's goal of building a strong relationship with the tourism private sector in an effort to achieve greater efficiency in the continued development of this vibrant industry," comments Tourism Minister, Manuel Heredia, Jr. "We welcome Mr. Jacobs to the Ministry of Tourism and look forward to working with him in fulfilling Government's mandate, as well as accomplishing the mission and objectives of the Board and bringing Belize to the forefront in the area of sustainable tourism," Heredia noted.

For more information on the developments and events in Belize's Tourism Industry, please contact the Marketing Department at the Belize Tourism Board at (501)-227-2420, via email: btbb@btl.net or visit our website www.belizetourism.org.


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