B.T.I.A. expresses support for pocket tourism
At its annual general
meeting on July 3rd, 2013, the Belize Tourism Industry Association expressed support
for a policy of pocket tourism in line with the National Sustainable Tourism
Master Plan which was passed October of last year. The B.T.I.A. is also looking
to increase its membership countrywide.
Stakeholders from
across the country attended today’s Annual General Meeting of the Belize
Tourism Industry Association. It was not only a time for reviewing their
membership which now stands at 390, but also to address the giant on their
steps, cruise tourism.
ROB HIRONS
Rob Hirons, Chairman,
B.T.I.A. Toledo
“Increased active
membership is a priority. Nationally, B.T.I.A.’s advocacy is aimed at
protecting the industry and its dependent jobs from threats that comes in many
guises. The danger of killing the golden goose of tourism through over-taxation
in the most productive sector of the economy must be avoided. And there has
always been tension between high volume cruise ship tourism that generates
little income and few jobs and low volume overnight tourism that generates
eighty-four percent of income from tourism and creates one in four jobs in
Belize. This is the bedrock of our industry. We agree with B.T.B.’s policy
stated in its master plan that pocket tourism is the only acceptable form of
tourism is south-eastern coastal Belize. B.T.I.A. and its members have worked
tirelessly over the past twenty-eight years to build the tourism industry. And
we have too much to lose and too little to gain in any further expansion of
mass cruise tourism. I can do nothing other than speak out when commercial
interests attempt to drive coach and horses and a few cruise ships through what
everyone believed was settled tourism policy.”
The task of forwarding
those concerns about mass cruise tourism now falls on a new B.T.I.A. team.
ESTELA REQUEÑA
Estela Requeña,
Executive Director, B.T.I.A.
“The tourism industry
in Belize is one that is exciting and offers boundless opportunities for many
in the country including myself. I am new to this industry and bring a wealth
of experience in sales, customer service and networking. I became the executive
director and part of the secretariat of the Belie Tourism Industry Association
in April of this year and intend to use my past and new experiences for the
best interests of the B.T.I.A. and its membership. The success of the
organization and any activity pursued will depend on the integral role played
by the secretariat. The secretariat is a three member team that works under the
directives of the Board’s Executive Committee and its main objective is to
coordinate, and implement policies and procedures in
the association’s key focus areas. The team is new and the two other
members and Miss Osiely Mendez and Miss Talia Tillett. Osiely started with the
B.T.I.A. in April as well and carries out daily operational functions of the
secretariat with particular emphasis on performing accounting duties and
support membership and administrative services. Talia has been a members of the
secretariat for two years and her main focus is on the marketing, membership,
management and support. The changes in the secretariat roles have allowed the
functionality of the office to be streamlined.”
Herbert Haylock,
B.T.I.A. President
HERBERT HAYLOCK
“It has been a
challenging time. I expected no less of a challenge and I certainly do not
foresee the next six months in 2013 or the remainder of my term to be any less
demanding. As you heard earlier, there have been some changes effective at the
secretariat across several fronts including of personnel changes. I must
underscore to our members that these changes were executed with you in mind and
always with you at the fore of where we are headed as an association. Our
direction forward is and will continue to be focused on the opportunities for
the majority. And if you notice on the podium, it is pretty much our thematic
position for today and where we are going. We now have a compliment of three
staff members as you’ve heard; focused on delivering quality and timely service
to you, our valued membership. We are able to deliver real time feedback on the
operational financial inflows and outflows of your association. Critical,
current and live information that allows your board of directors the latitude
to be able to make positively impacted decisions for you as members have also
been one of the pluses of that structural change.”
The Belize Tourism
Expo, BETEX 2014 logo, was released.
DENISE OCKEY
Denise Ockey, BETEX
Board
“We are very pleased
to announce that we have identified an experienced event coordinator. They will
soon join the staff at the secretariat and work alongside the committee to
ensure that BETEX 2014 is our best show yet. And as Herbert had asked me to mention,
one of the things that the planning committee has looked at is what we can do
in the off-year from BETEX 2014. So there is a strategy session to identify
whether or not fam trips or additional marketing…what other initiative could
the B.T.I.A. do in the off-year from BETEX to help and ensure that we provide
benefits for all of the membership.”
Cheques were handed
over from Courts Belize for five thousand dollars and from the Development
Finance Corporation for six thousand five hundred dollar.
For more information see our services below:
· International Business Companies (IBCs)
· U.S. Dollar Accounts
· Asset Protection
· Bahamas, Panama, Seychelles & other Foreign IBCs
· Trust and Trustee Services
· Belize and Panama Private Foundations
· Local Company (Chapter 250)
· Belize Dollar Accounts
· Mail Forwarding and Virtual Office Services
· Work Permit and Residency Services
· Nationality and Passport Services
· Qualified Retired Persons Program (QRP)
· Licensed Escrow Services
· Purchase Agreements
· Owner Financing Agreements
· Land Title Investigation
· Transfer of Title
Email: gomezisl@btl.net
No comments:
Post a Comment