As Belize’s government weighs a planned increase to the hotel accommodation tax, key tourism sector leaders are already pushing for transparency, noting that no official written proposal has been released to date, even as early pushback against the measure builds.
Two of the nation’s leading tourism industry bodies — the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) and the Belize Hotel Association (BHA) — have submitted a joint open letter to Prime Minister John Briceño, requesting full details of the planned tax adjustment before the groups commit to a formal public position on the policy.
In comments shared publicly on the request, BTIA President Efren Perez explained that the joint correspondence was prompted by the fact that all discussions of the tax increase have so far been verbal, with no concrete documentation outlining the rate change, implementation timeline, or planned use of new revenue.
“Right now, we don’t have anything tangible to review, which means we can’t properly assess the overall impact of this proposal on our members or the broader tourism economy,” Perez noted. “Before we can move forward with any formal negotiations, we need to see the full scope of what the government is proposing, so that all industry stakeholders can come to the table prepared.”
Perez confirmed that the vast majority of tourism industry operators have already voiced clear opposition to any new tax increases, a position that sector leaders recognize and respect. However, he added that the industry remains open to constructive, collaborative dialogue with the government to address two of the most pressing threats facing Belize’s coastal tourism sector: invasive sargassum blooms and worsening coastal erosion.
In addition to calling for transparency on the proposed tax, sector stakeholders are also urging the government to expand existing support for tourism businesses, which continue to grapple with soaring operational costs alongside growing environmental risks that threaten the long-term viability of Belize’s beach and coastal tourism offerings.
Until the government releases a formal, written version of the accommodation tax proposal, BTIA and BHA will maintain their neutral formal position, while continuing to push for collaborative solutions to the environmental challenges that put the $1.8 billion tourism industry — Belize’s largest source of foreign exchange — at risk.