Airbnb and the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) have signed a MOU initiating a mutual collaboration between both organizations to drive sustainable tourism in Belize through home sharing.
The agreement aims to promote Belize as a world-class tourism destination, highlighting cultural festivals, local tourism experiences and other unique events. Additionally, the MOU refers to the mutual cooperation aiming to share best practices globally for a modern and simple regulatory framework for short-term rentals in order to grow and diversify the country’s tourism product in keeping with global demand.
“The Belize Tourism Board is excited about this new cooperation agreement with Airbnb, and in working together to develop an equitable and sustainable business environment for this important segment of the tourism offer in Belize. With new engaging features on its platform, Airbnb is not only about room stock generation, it is also moving towards the creation of authentic destination experiences, an area where Belize thrives and seeks to engage,” said Mr. Evan Tillett, Director of Tourism at the Belize Tourism Board.
The home sharing community in Belize is a growing component of the local tourism industry and an important asset to the country’s wealth. Within this sector, the unrivaled global community of hosts and guests on Airbnb has created a whole new way to travel and experience a destination.
“Belize is an important destination for Airbnb, and we are pleased to continue working together with the BTB to develop a strong, democratized tourism industry through home-sharing, in which Belizeans can benefit directly,” stated Carlos Munoz, Airbnb Campaign Manager, Public Policy and Communications for the Caribbean and Central America.
Through its strong partnership with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), of which Belize is a Government Member, Airbnb is steadily working to drive tourism to the region and expand economic opportunity by promoting safe, authentic travel throughout the Caribbean. Belize was recently featured in one such initiative, Discover the Caribbean, which sought to promote tourism to destinations as they safely re-opened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the tourism industry in Belize grows, the Belize Tourism Board and Airbnb, aim to encourage environmental sustainability while empowering local people and their communities to be the primary beneficiaries of this economic growth.