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Important Notice To Operators of Guest Accommodations

Are you the owner or manager of any of the following types of guest accommodations, or any other type or category of accommodation used by guests?

- Resort, Hotel, Lodge or Inn - Vacation Home or Guest Houses -Camp site or Bed & Breakfast facility -Motel or Condominiums, Time Share Units

-Bungalows or Apartments - Villas or Beach houses - Home Stay Program facility - Community-based tourist - Religious/Educational & Research Facility establishments - Dormitory, Cottages or Cabins/Cabana

If your answer is yes, then THIS MESSAGE IS FOR YOU!

The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) wishes to advise all entities/businesses and managers, operators or person(s) providing accommodation for remuneration purposes to any guest (local or foreign), regardless of its size and location in the country, that they MUST REGISTER with the Registrar of Hotels at the BTB.

Being a registered guest accommodation service with BTB gives you the benefit of having a hotel license to operate legally and freely, of contributing meaningfully to the sound development of our dynamic tourism industry, as well as to benefit from the strategic plans and promotions of the BTB.

The process for registering a guest accommodation service is easy. Application forms can be downloaded from the Belize Tourism Board website at: http://www.belizetourismboard.org/industry-sectors/hotel-licence/, then print, complete and submit to BTB.

Please note that all licenses expire on December 31st each year and must be renewed as stipulated under the provisions of the Hotels and Tourist Accommodation Act.

N.B. Any person who without lawful excuse uses any premises as a hotel or tourist accommodation when such premises are not registered or when there is not in force a license granted to him by the Registrar authorizing him to use such premises for the business of a hotel or tourist accommodation, commits an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ($10,000) dollars or to imprisonment fora term not exceeding three years, or to both such fine and term of imprisonment. ( Section 27 (1) of the Hotels and Tourist Accommodation Act, Chapter 285 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011)

For further information or assistance please contact the BTB at email: [email protected] or Phone: 501-227-2420; Fax: 501-227-2423

Kindly see the upcoming scheduled dates and venue for our Minimum Standards for Accommodations meeting.