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Julia Edwards
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San Pedro is called the tourism
capital of Belize because of the great amount of visitors that travel
yearly to our island. This is due to the island's natural charm and the
let-yourself-go ambiance that many experience while vacationing here.
Another reason is because people involved in this industry have taken
advantage of its natural beauty and used it to market and promote San
Pedro. People in the tourism industry strive to keep their clients
content, whether they are a tour guide, bartender, hotelier or taxi
driver. This week's personality is actively involved in the tourism
industry; she is Ms. Julia Edwards.
Julia was born in Belize City to John and Helen
Frampton and was one of only two girls in a family of seven children. She
attended and graduated from Holy Redeemer Primary School and then
Pallotti High School. Shortly after graduation she moved to England, the
birthplace of her paternal ancestors. Her ambition was to become a nurse
but because she had not pursued her Junior College education it was more
difficult for her to make this a reality. Her next option was the
hospitality business. "I knew I needed a job where I would have direct
contact with other people," explained Julia.
Having made up her mind, she immediately got down to
business, starting with the basics. She worked in the food and beverage
areas first, learning all aspects, finding how much she enjoyed it. This
first-hand experience encouraged her to improve her career prospects and
she opted to work with larger companies. Julia got her big break in
management at Whitbred's Coaching Inns in England. Whitbred's was a chain
of some 24 small properties ranging from 22 to 48 rooms. It was there she
received the majority of her training, attending various seminars and
courses. Julia proved to be an ambitious employee, giving it her best
while learning all about the business. With time and experience also came
promotions for Julia and eventually she ascended the ladder to the Deputy
Manager position. Eleven years passed before she returned to Belize to
attend a brother's wedding. What was to be a temporary visit became
permanent because of two reasons; one being the mother/daughter
relationship that she missed and the other the opportunities that were
now available in Belize.
Julia was confident of her abilities from the training
she had received in England and immediately went to work. Her first job
in Belize was at the Ramada Hotel (now Princess Hotel & Casino) as
the Food and Beverage Manager. Her previous experiences in the
hospitality business proved beneficial for Julia and many doors opened to
her. After one year at the Ramada she resigned to accept a job at the
Belize Biltmore Plaza. Once again the Food and Beverage Manager, she also
exercised her talents in all other duties required by the hotel including
sales. The shareholders of the Belize Biltmore Plaza also held part
ownership at the SunBreeze Hotel in San Pedro and offered Julia the
opportunity to manage the place for them. She gave this proposition a lot
of thought since it had been over a decade since she last visited San
Pedro. Managing a small property was exactly what she had always wanted
to do though, so she accepted.
In September of 1996, Julia officially took over as
Manager of the SunBreeze Hotel. Today, three years and four months after,
the hotel has blossomed into a top vacation spot in San Pedro. Julia's
efforts and dedication to this business are clearly visible. Some of her
improvements include the total refurbishing of the rooms, installing a
beautiful fresh water swimming pool and four additional rooms. Probably
one of the most significant achievements for Ms. Edwards is bringing the
hotel's occupancy rate from 40% to 75%. When asked how she managed this,
she answered, "By training my employees, maintaining a presence through
advertising, establishing good communication with our employees and
agents, and continuously improving our facility in any way
possible." Julia takes her job seriously and it is because of her
strong belief in the industry that she has been very active serving on
the Board of Directors (BOD) of the Belize Tourism Industry Association
and presently on the BOD of the Belize Hotel Association. Ms. Edwards,
along with the SunBreeze Hotel, has played an active role supporting
community and town activities. She believes there are many things we can
do for the tourism industry. Her suggestions include to continue the
training of our young people and to maintain our island by improving the
infrastructure, making sure not to over-develop it. Julia is of the
opinion that the future of our island looks promising. She envisions
herself living here for many years. She stated, "Both the destination and
the hotel have room for continuous growth and improvement. It is exciting
and challenging to be a part of that development."
Today she is exactly where she envisioned herself and
is grateful to the people that helped her throughout her life. In closing
Julia commented, "I am thankful to my parents for my upbringing. My mom
was the caregiver and my father was the driver. This combined the perfect
balance and their good examples have made me the person I am today. This
is probably the happiest I have been in my life and with my loved one -
Steven Card. He has been instrumental and supportive of the challenges I
have faced in this career."
Julia Edwards enjoys a good position today and
rightfully so. She has dedicated herself to the tourism business, making
sure that our island continues to enjoy the fruits of this labor. She
joins other hoteliers and members of the tourism industry ensuring its
success in Our Community.
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