Belize Tourism Board
The Belize Tourism Board is a statutory government body that regulates, markets, and develops Belize's tourism sector — licensing hotels and tour operators, collecting a 9% accommodation tax, and promoting the country internationally through the Travel Belize brand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersBelize City, Belize
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Belize Tourism Board does
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) is a statutory body under Belize's Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Transportation, established and governed by the Belize Tourism Board Act, Chapter 275 of the Laws of Belize. Its mandate spans destination marketing, industry regulation, training, and sustainable tourism planning for the country. BTB serves three principal constituencies: (i) international visitors and travel trade buyers seeking destination information; (ii) licensed tourism operators — hotels, tour guides, and tour operators — that it regulates and taxes; and (iii) Government of Belize stakeholders for whom BTB acts as the executing arm for tourism policy.
BTB's product surface is institutional rather than commercial. Core operational assets include the Travel Belize consumer website, a Travel Trade Portal, the BTB Online Portal (a digital licensing and stakeholder database), the Elevate Training Institute, and the National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan (NSTMP) 2030. Regulatory and revenue mechanics rest on a 9% Tourist Accommodation Tax and licensing fees, with fiscal year 2025-2026 budget disclosure of approximately BZ$8.8 million (US$4.4M equivalent) in total expenditure. International marketing is executed through FCCA platinum membership, Virtuoso partnerships, and active engagement with Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), and Belize Hotel Association (BHA) / Belize Tourism Association (BTA).
Belize Tourism Board firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Belize Tourism Board
- Legal name
- Belize Tourism Board
- Website
- https://belizetourismboard.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Belize Tourism Board is a statutory government body that regulates, markets, and develops Belize's tourism sector — licensing hotels and tour operators, collecting a 9% accommodation tax, and promoting the country internationally through the Travel Belize brand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Belize Tourism Board industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tourism Governance & Destination Marketing
- NAICS
- Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Travel Policy Design, Governance & Compliance (THACAMAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sustainability Training, Consulting & ESG Advisory (Operational Playbooks, Staff Training) (THAAANAL), Tour/Activities/Attractions Reservation Systems (THALADAG)
Keywords
Where Belize Tourism Board is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Belize City
- HQ country
- Belize
Offices2 records
Markets served
Belize Tourism Board business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Tourist Accommodation Tax Collection: The Belize Tourism Board is legislated to collect and manage a 9% tourist accommodation tax from hotels and tourist accommodations on behalf of the Government of Belize. This tax is used to fulfill BTB's mandated operations for sustaining, marketing, and developing Belize's tourism industry.
- Hotel and Tourism Licensing Fees: Annual license fees for hotels and tourist accommodations, including a base fee plus per-room charges. Fees support the regulatory and compliance functions of the organization.
- Training and Certification Services: Revenue generation through the Elevate Training Institute, offering certified professional development courses and programs in hospitality, lodging, and culinary arts under internationally recognized institutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Hotel Licensing Fee |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Tourist Accommodation Tax |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Belize Tourism Board product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Belize Tourism Board is the legislated statutory body that governs, enhances, and promotes Belize's tourism industry. It administers licensing and regulation of hotels, tour operators, and tour guides; collects a 9% tourist accommodation tax to fund tourism operations; delivers destination marketing domestically and internationally; runs the Elevate Training Institute for hospitality and culinary certification; manages the Qualified Retirement Program; and oversees cruise tourism, the National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan, and tourism data analytics.
Product overview
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) is a statutory government body that serves as the governing and promotional authority for Belize's tourism industry. The organization operates a platform-plus-services model consisting of: (1) the BTB Online Portal for licensing and payments; (2) the Travel Belize Website for tourism marketing; (3) the Tourism Asset Inventory for cataloging tourism sites; (4) Elevate Training Institute for professional development; and (5) regulatory services for hotels, tour guides, and tour operators. Additional services include cruise and destination management, the Qualified Retirement Program (QRP), digital marketing services, travel publications, National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan implementation, tourism security, accelerator programs, signature events (Taste of Belize, Digital Marketing Summit, Industry Conference), National Tourism Awards, Frontline Hero Award, Sargassum Resource Management, and Tour Guide Training. These products and services collectively support licensing compliance, industry development, marketing promotion, training certification, and sustainable tourism planning across Belize.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BTB Online Portal Online portal for tourism stakeholders to submit license applications, make payments, access real-time account information, and manage accommodation, tour guide, and tour operator licensing.
- Travel Belize Website Official tourism marketing platform (TravelBelize.org) providing travel information, destination guides, and resources for tourists planning visits to Belize.
- Tourism Asset Inventory A comprehensive inventory system for cataloging all tourism sites and assets across Belize regions, enabling stakeholders to identify available tourism products and linking tourists with tour operators.
- Elevate Training Institute Belize's premier tourism training hub offering certified professional development courses and programs in hospitality, lodging, culinary arts, tour guiding, flats fishing, diving, and birding, under auspices of AHLEI and the American Culinary Federation.
- Hotel & Tourist Accommodation Licensing Registration and licensing services for hotels and tourist accommodations ensuring compliance with minimum standards under the Hotels and Tourist Accommodation Act, Chapter 285 of the Laws of Belize.
- Tour Guide Licensing Certification and licensing program for tour guides regulated under the Belize Tourism Board (Tour Guide) Regulations, ensuring professional standards and visitor safety.
- Tour Operator Licensing Licensing and regulatory services for tour operators governed by the Belize Tourism Board (Tour Operator) Regulations to maintain industry quality and sustainability.
- Cruise & Destination Management Oversight and management of Belize's cruise tourism sector including port management, industry relations, cruise tourism development, visitor experience enhancement, and data collection and analytics.
- Qualified Retirement Program (QRP) A residency program offering flexible residency options for individuals meeting retirement income requirements, including import duty exemptions, tax benefits, and business investment opportunities.
- Tour Guide Training Specialized training and certification programs for tour guides to maintain professional standards in Belize's tourism industry.
- Tourism Accelerator Program Program supporting the development and growth of tourism-related businesses and entrepreneurs in Belize.
Quantifiable outcome
- Sustainable Tourism Conference with over 360 attendees from 29 countries
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Belize Tourism Board
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Belize Tourism Board technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Belize Tourism Board partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- BELTRAIDEmajorBelize Tourism Board and BELTRAIDE signed a Memorandum of Agreement to strengthen tourism investment collaboration, announced March 2026.
- DFC (Development Finance Corporation)majorBTB and DFC signed Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen tourism sector in Belize, signed March 2025.
- University of BelizecoreBTB signed agreement with University of Belize to update the National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan.
- Sound DiplomacyminorBelize Tourism Board partnered with global music strategy leaders including Sound Diplomacy to develop a Music, Entertainment, and Cultural Industries Strategy for Belize.
- FCCA (Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association)coreFCCA is a cruise association that provides a forum for discussions on cruise-related development and implementation initiatives. As one of the top cruise destinations within this region, Belize continues to evolve to meet the demands for a sustainable tourism destination.
- SITCA (Secretariat of Central American Tourism Integration)coreSITCA executes the directives of the Central American Integration System (SICA) for the economic, social, democratic, and sustainable development of Central America. BTB works in unison to ensure necessary measures are taken to enhance Belize's tourism sector.
- CATA (Central American Tourism Agency)coreCATA is the official agency in charge of international promotion and positioning of the Central American Region as a multi-destination. As a member, Belize is intimately involved in regional tourism-related business development and cohesion.
- CTO (Caribbean Tourism Organization)coreUnder the CTO umbrella, marketing the Caribbean as an appealing tourist region is at the forefront. Areas of importance include Tourism & Health initiatives, Sustainability, Research and Quality Assurance.
- BCCI (Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry)coreBCCI is the facilitating body for the best local and foreign investments in respects to business opportunities and development of services in tourism, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, forestry and others.
- VirtuosomajorVirtuoso is a prestigious network known to have the top luxury travel agencies with more than 17,500 advisors across the globe representing the top choices in travel from hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, among others.
- National Institute of Culture & History (NICH)coreBTB collaborates closely with NICH to ensure cohesive management of the Belize tourism industry, particularly for cultural and historical tourism assets.
- Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA)coreBTB works in partnership with BTIA for cohesive management of the Belize tourism industry.
- Belize Hotel Association (BHA)coreBTB collaborates with BHA for cohesive management of the Belize tourism industry, with BHA representatives on the Board of Directors.
- Sargassum Task ForcecoreMulti-stakeholder task force co-chaired by Ministry of Tourism and Diaspora Relations and Ministry of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management, including Department of Environment, National Meteorological Service, Network of NGOs, Fisheries Department, University of Belize, Belize Port Authority, and local government representatives.
- American Hotel and Lodging Education Institute (AHLEI)majorElevate Training Institute offers certified professional development short courses and programs in hospitality and lodging under the auspices of AHLEI.
- American Culinary Federation (ACF)majorElevate Training Institute offers certified culinary training under the auspices of the American Culinary Federation. BTB secured ACF Property Membership and launched Culinary Certification Program.
- Belize Customs and Excise DepartmentcoreBTB and Belize Customs and Excise Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding as part of Nautical Tourism Development.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Belize Tourism Board competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hawaii Tourism Authority: State tourism authority for Hawaii with a much larger budget and broader scope, but analogous statutory destination marketing and stakeholder governance model. Useful benchmark for institutional tourism authority scale.
Others
- Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA): Regional umbrella organization for Caribbean hotel and tourism associations. Adjacent to BTB's role — comparable in coordinating private-sector tourism stakeholders but at the regional rather than national level.
Direct peers
- Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. Statutory national tourism authority for Barbados with similar destination marketing, licensing, and stakeholder development functions. Comparable as a small-island Caribbean destination marketing organization.
- Jamaica Tourism Board: National tourism board of Jamaica with comparable mandate to govern, promote, and license tourism stakeholders for a Caribbean destination. Directly comparable as a statutory destination marketing and regulatory body competing in the same Caribbean tourist market.
- Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Costa Rica's national tourism board and a fellow SITCA/CATA member. Highly comparable as a Central American destination-marketing and regulatory authority, with comparable sustainability positioning and eco-tourism emphasis.
- Discover Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico's destination marketing organization with similar mandate to promote a Caribbean destination and drive inbound demand. Comparable in DMO functions and Caribbean market overlap.
- Cayman Islands Department of Tourism: Government tourism authority for the Cayman Islands, performing destination promotion, licensing, and cruise sector oversight. Comparable as a small Caribbean destination tourism board.
- Aruba Tourism Authority: National tourism authority for Aruba performing destination marketing and stakeholder licensing. Comparable as a small Caribbean destination management organization with similar regulatory scope.
- Visit Panama (ATP): Panama's national tourism authority promoting a Central American destination with overlapping regional partnerships (CATA, SITCA). Comparable as a fellow Central American DMO.
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism: Government tourism authority for The Bahamas, performing destination promotion, licensing, and tourism policy functions analogous to BTB. Highly comparable in mandate, regulatory scope, and Caribbean market positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Belize Tourism Board social profiles
Digital presenceBelize Tourism Board financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Belize Tourism Board leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Belize Tourism Board funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Belize Tourism Board M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Belize Tourism Board
What does Belize Tourism Board do?
The Belize Tourism Board is the legislated statutory body that governs, enhances, and promotes Belize's tourism industry. It administers licensing and regulation of hotels, tour operators, and tour guides; collects a 9% tourist accommodation tax to fund tourism operations; delivers destination marketing domestically and internationally; runs the Elevate Training Institute for hospitality and culinary certification; manages the Qualified Retirement Program; and oversees cruise tourism, the National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan, and tourism data analytics.
Is Belize Tourism Board a public or private company?
Belize Tourism Board is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Belize Tourism Board founded?
Belize Tourism Board was founded in 1990. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Belize Tourism Board based?
Belize Tourism Board is headquartered in Belize City, Belize.
How does Belize Tourism Board make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tourist Accommodation Tax Collection is the primary driver. The others are hotel and Tourism Licensing Fees and training and Certification Services.
Who are Belize Tourism Board's main competitors?
Hawaii Tourism Authority is listed as a broad incumbent. Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is listed as an others. Direct peers are Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., Jamaica Tourism Board, Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT), Discover Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, Aruba Tourism Authority, Visit Panama (ATP) and Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.
Does Belize Tourism Board have an API?
No public API is recorded for Belize Tourism Board.
What industry is Belize Tourism Board in?
Belize Tourism Board's product category is Tourism Governance & Destination Marketing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THACAMAB, Travel Policy Design, Governance & Compliance, with a secondary code of THAAANAL, Sustainability Training, Consulting & ESG Advisory (Operational Playbooks, Staff Training). Its NAICS code is 561591 and its SIC code is 7900.