Email

Print

The Belize Tourism Industry Association held it's 33rd Annual General Meeting today at the Biltmore. And, as it does at every AGM, the executive updated members country-wide on what the association has been doing to push for progress within the industry.  

We spoke with the Executive Director about some of the highlights from this year's AGM:

John Burgos - Executive Director, BTIA
"Two main purpose that we're going to be serving today at the annual general meeting. First of all we are going to highlight all the good work we have been doing over the last 12 months, to show members the benefit that we are trying to increase for them. You know as membership association you expect to receive certain benefits and we have been expanding the number of benefits over the last 2 to 3 years. In addition to that, the second main objective, we're going to have elections, we're going to have elections for two key positions on the committee. We'll be looking to receive a new president for the next 2 years and we're going to have a second vice president for the next 2 years. So those would be the 2 main things that are taking place today."

Reporter
"You're also presenting a report on the performance of the last year. What stood out? What were the key achievements of the BTIA?"

John Burgos
"Well, the 2 main achievements that we're really very proud of is that we were able to serve our membership, we're providing a new series of training opportunities. We did a surf safe training for cooking staff, we did also a first aid and CPR training and we also provided a fire prevention and fire extinguisher training for members and also for the first time we did an innovation and tourism talk whereby we had special guests international representatives from Google, from More Tourismo whom is a digital marketing company - from Expedia and TripAdvisor. So these people were able to address some of the concerns and some of the issues of the industry and at the same time share the great opportunities that they offer on the platforms. Secondly we were able to publish the 20th edition of the Destination Belize and it's not only about having a printing magazine available but this year we were able to expand on the branding of Destination Belize. We're going to be offering 2 key things, one of them that the magazine for the first time is going to be available in Spanish and secondly we are going to have the Destination Belize.com website that is going to bring the magazine to life and in that website we are also going to be able to feature different videos for advisors and also from the various destinations. We have videos of the drum making in Hopkins, we have video of the Hudut making in Dangriga and videos of that sort - the Maya fireball game, the Pok-ta-tok game. So it's going to provide the platform whereby we're going to engage international potential tourists to have a one hub where they can find all the information they need about Belize."

As you heard, a key agenda item for today's AGM was the election of a president and a 2nd Vice President. After elections were held, Melanie Paz from San Pedro was selected as the new president, and Stewart Krohn was re-elected as the 2nd Vice-President.