Our Community - Einer Gomez - "Going the extra smiles to promote San Pedro"

The Island Newspaper, Ambergris Caye, Belize            Vol. 10, No. 3            January 20, 2000

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Einer Gomez

When the San Pedro Sun introduced the "Our Community" column, it was with the intention to give our readers, nationally and internationally, a glimpse of the unique people who live in San Pedro. Each person we feature has something special to offer our community, island and country. Without hesitation you will agree that this week's personality has been essential to the growth and promotion of La Isla Bonita - Mr. Einer Gomez.

    Born to Tomasita and Ernesto Gomez Sr., 34 years ago, Einer attended San Pedro Roman Catholic School graduating at the age of 12. His parents, valuing the importance of education opted to send him to Belize City to continue his education. He attended Wesley College and then Belize Technical College graduating in 1985. During his high school and Junior College days, Einer took great interest in academic studies, majoring in Biology and Chemistry. His hope was to one day become a medical technician, return to his hometown and test his skills. He had a desire to continue his studies but his strong family ties and love for his island got the best of him. He returned to his beloved San Pedro and immediately went to work in the Conch Hatchery Project, experimenting with the in-house growth of conch for later release into the sea. He also formed a partnership with two friends and opened Sandals Bar. This local, fun establishment was the number one entertainment spot for visitors and Einer's first hands-on experience in the tourism industry. Working full-time at the Conch Hatchery and bartending part-time at Sandals soon overwhelmed him. He sold his shares in the bar and devoted his time solely to the hatchery. It was during this time that he joined a group of concerned locals called the San Pedro Environmental Committee (SPEC). Einer smiled and said, "I felt at this point that I wanted to save the whole world." They did not do exactly that but they did have a lot of great ideas which eventually made a big impact in the Master Plan of San Pedro. Einer and SPEC were instrumental in putting at the forefront, the importance of mangrove protection, making the public aware of the negative effects of dredging and educating the general public in ways of being environmentally friendly.

    He resigned from the Conch Hatchery, to work as a front desk clerk at the Holiday Hotel in 1988. Einer entered this field not knowing much about office work but he had great ambition and good public relation skills. These traits soon opened many doors for him and made the every day learning experience at Holiday Hotel much easier. He worked there for approximately two and a half years learning new things, from doing inventory for the bar to assisting in the kitchen.

    On August 31st, 1991, he married Maribel Ayuso and together they have two lovely children, Alejandra (6) and Einer Alberto (4). Soon after he was offered the challenge as Food and Beverage Manager at Paradise Resort Hotel which he accepted. After just a year in this occupation, he woke up one day and realized  he needed to venture down another avenue. He resigned and sent several resumes to other businesses, not being certain what to expect. Having made a good impression at his previous jobs, he was easily recommended and went to work for Island Air. He was employed as one of the airstrip's Supervisors for one year, when the opportunity of a lifetime was offered to him. 

    In 1994 he received a proposition from Ramon's Village to work as the resort's Assistant Manager. "This was an offer I couldn't refuse. It was everything I had been looking for," Einer commented. Since then he has been taking care of the daily operations of the hotel, its employees and all aspects of the resort's promotion and marketing strategies.

    Einer has also been seriously involved in the promotion of our island and has taken great measures to voice his opinion through many organizations pertaining to tourism. He has served as President of the Belize Tourist Industry Association (BTIA) San Pedro Branch; as Area Representative for BTIA at national level; is presently on the Board of Directors of the Belize Hotel Association; an active member of the Costa Maya Committee serving as Accommodations Coordinator as well as many other tasks, and was also a member of the Y2K Celebrations Committee. As the Assistant Manager of Ramon's Village, Einer has represented the resort at numerous trade shows exposing the good name of Belize and San Pedro. He is a regular attendee at the annual Dive Equipment Marketing Association (DEMA) show held in the USA and various Central American conferences.

    Einer told the San Pedro Sun, "I am happy doing what I am doing today. My present job has offered me a lot and opened many doors for me, both socially and personally. Belize has a different kind of tourism industry than the rest of the world. One cannot acquire a high position overnight. You have to learn to do everything there is to do in the hospitality business. By cleaning rooms, bartending and other jobs of the business, managers learn the human resources needed and gain the confidence to succeed. I strongly believe that in Belize EXPERIENCE works better than a degree. Each individual that gets something out of San Pedro should find time for community service to give back to the island. They should stand up and do something and not wait for others to make our island a better place to live."

    Hearing the words of this ambitious and service-minded individual, we can feel comfortable about the future of San Pedro. We salute Mr. Einer Gomez for his efforts to promote our island, his dedication and his loyalty to Our Community.



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