Will Belize be eliminated as a port?

[Legend]

Members of Belize's tourism industry are asking the country's Supreme Court to throw out a US$50 million contract with Carnival Cruise Lines that would bring an unprecedented number of cruise ship visitors over the next five years.

 

The Belize Tourism Industry Association, which represents more than 500 hotels, tour operators and tour guides, filed the petition Wednesday. It was unclear when the court would decide whether to accept the case.

 

The association says the contract is illegal because it would allow Carnival to flood the tiny country with more visitors than the law allows.

 

It also is angry about clauses that exempt the company from hiring Belizean workers and allow visitors to shop tax-free at a 50-room hotel and casino.

 

Prime Minister Said Musa signed the contract with the Miami-based Carnival in April, but details weren't released until last month. Tourism officials say they weren't consulted. Carnival officials were not immediately available for comment.

 

Belize restricts cruise ship visitors to 8,000 people per day, which cruise lines have argued is too low.

 

The industry is hugely popular in Belize, where cruise ship arrivals have risen from 14,000 people in 1998 to a projected 800,000 individuals in 2004.

 

Members of the tourism association say they want to protect Belize and its reputation as a natural, unspoiled paradise. They also argue cruise ships bring little to the local economy, dumping visitors that spend a few dollars over a few hours, then return to the ship.

 

Musa has defended the contract, saying it brings much-needed investment to the country.

[kjunea]

I was just getting ready to book my excursion for my cruise in May! Maybe I should wait? What if the Miracle changes ports? That would inhale sharply!

[CanTex]

Show me a port where the typical visitor spends just a "few" dollars. Last time I was in Belize, it was probably more like a few hundred dollars -- and none of this went through Carnival's pockets as we arranged our own excursions.

 

Some of the statements from the Belize tourism officials are very short-sighted. Some visitors may or may not decide to return for a longer land-based vacation upon having "sampled" a destination, and this is largely influenced by whether they feel welcome during their cruise stopover. From what I saw of Belize, they need every tourism dollar they can possibly get.

[momofmeg]

Show me a port where the typical visitor spends just a "few" dollars. Last time I was in Belize, it was probably more like a few hundred dollars -- and none of this went through Carnival's pockets as we arranged our own excursions.

 

Some of the statements from the Belize tourism officials are very short-sighted. Some visitors may or may not decide to return for a longer land-based vacation upon having "sampled" a destination, and this is largely influenced by whether they feel welcome during their cruise stopover. From what I saw of Belize, they need every tourism dollar they can possibly get.

 

I was not impressed with Belize at all. It seems to be a very poor country and aside from the cave tubing no bid deal. I know alot like to trash Costa Maya but to me it was much better.

[cali-croozer]

I was not impressed with Belize at all. It seems to be a very poor country and aside from the cave tubing no bid deal. I know alot like to trash Costa Maya but to me it was much better.

I agree with you. Especially for a family, Costa Maya was a fun/cheap day. We looked at it as a "private island" experience. In Belize we took the Goff's Caye excursion. Cute little caye to lay about. Snorkeling wasn't so great.........much better/more fish in Cozumel and Grand Cayman. This cost us $280. I know we could have done it cheaper on our own, but with the ship 40 minutes away from the mainland.........kind of a hassle. It was nice to picked up right at the ship. My parents tendered to the city......stayed for a whole hour! Anyway, long story short. I would prefer another fun day at sea over Belize any day.