As part of the first day of the Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC 2026), the President of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA), Efren Perez, highlighted the importance of integrating sustainability, culture, and regional cooperation to strengthen tourism development in Belize and the Caribbean.

Perez, who also serves as pro tempore President of the Federation of Tourism Chambers of Central America and the Dominican Republic, stated in an interview with ABC MUNDIAL that one of the main contributions of STC 2026 is its focus on the different dimensions of the tourism-related economy, from culture to environmental protection and marine ecosystems.

“I think that many times we have not paid enough attention to the different colors of the economy. In Belize, the cultural aspect and the reef—we have the second largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere—are essential to understanding both the opportunities and the challenges facing sustainable tourism,” he said.

The business leader emphasized that one of the central topics discussed during the conference was the need to advance better regulation and planning of tourism activity in order to protect the country’s natural resources.

“In Belize, there is still a need to strengthen some legislation to regulate certain areas of tourism in order to improve the visitor experience. For example, establishing capacity limits in parks and natural areas is an important step to ensure sustainability,” he stated.

Perez also noted that the growth of cultural and gastronomic tourism represents a key opportunity for both Belize and the wider Caribbean and Central American region.

“When we begin to develop our cultural and gastronomic offerings—not only in Belize but across the Caribbean and Central America—we are building a much stronger foundation for tourism growth,” he said.

The BTIA president also highlighted Belize’s strategic role as a bridge between the Caribbean and Central America, both institutionally and in tourism development.

“Belize is very well positioned as a bridge between the Caribbean and Central America. We actively participate in regional organizations, which allows us to share best practices and move toward more sustainable tourism,” he noted.

Perez also recalled that he currently holds the pro tempore presidency of the Federation of Tourism Chambers of Central America and that Belize is also actively involved in the Mundo Maya initiative, together with Central American countries and Mexico.

Regarding the Latin American market, he stated that Belize is seeking to diversify its source markets amid a changing international landscape.

“The U.S. market is somewhat volatile at the moment, which is why we are focusing more on emerging markets, especially in Latin America. We are seeing greater opportunities for promotion and for connections between tourism entrepreneurs,” he explained.

He also highlighted the importance of improving regional air connectivity to facilitate the growth of Latin American tourism to Belize.

“From FEDECATUR we are working to improve connections within Central America, and together with the Minister of Tourism, Anthony Mahler, we are working to attract new airlines from Latin America to Belize,” he said.

When asked about the impact of sargassum and Minister Mahler’s statements regarding global responsibility for climate change, Perez agreed on the need for a joint response.

“Sargassum is a global problem linked to climate change. In Belize, we have made progress thanks to a very strong public-private partnership, which allows us to develop concrete projects for cleanup and mitigation,” he stated.

Finally, he stressed that regional cooperation and public-private coordination will be key to addressing environmental challenges and strengthening a more resilient tourism model for the Caribbean.