Brion Young, who is also a naturalist guide at The Lodge at Chaa Creek, which sponsors the NHC, said he believes that education is the key to preserving Belize’s rich Maya heritage.

Belize is a sanctuary for birds because of its extensive protected forests, varied wetland habitat and strategic location on a major migratory route. Over 587 birds have been recorded in the country, of these approximately 20% are migrants from North America.

The success of last week’s Belize tourism expo is one more indication that the growth of the Belizean travel and tourism industry is on the right track, the owner of Belize’s premier eco lodge said today.

The Belize Tourism Expo (BETEX) is coming up next week. It’s a major tourism showcase that brings together local stakeholders with international travel agents to promote Belize as a tourism destination. BETEX is held every two years by the Belize Tourism Industry Association with planning assistance from Idea Lab studios and this year, it’s going to be a five day event, starting next Wednesday.

In January of this year, the BTB was proud to share with you that Trip Advisor, the world’s largest internet travel website, had ranked various hotels in Belize as some of the top 25 hotels in the world.

Destination Belize is the flagship magazine for Belize’s tourism industry. It’s what guests find in their hotel rooms and it’s what Belize’s tourism promoters and vendors hand out at travel agencies and trade shows worldwide, basically to say: “This is Belize.” But this year, there’s a change. The 2011 edition was a home grown effort. Since it was launched 15 years ago, the magazine has been published by Ulrich Communications, a US based company. But this year, the BTIA wanted a fresh feel and approach so they brought in Idea Lab studios to give them that fresh look and feel with an international flair.

FRIDAY July 29, 2011 – Today’s theme for the day was Responsible Tourism and Chaa Creek managers all participated in giving the eco kids a little lecture on the lodge’s ecotourism model and why responsible tourism is such an important feature for Belize.

Soon-to-be newlyweds who are looking for a special honeymoon destination have been encouraged to consider a trip to Belize in Central America.
The Belize Tourism Board said that the English-speaking nation meets a growing demand among travellers for destinations that offer more than the traditional beach resort.
Transport options within the country allow visitors to combine a trip to the coast with some inland adventures in a single day.

Read the full story Belize recommended for honeymoons

We had a WONDERFUL WONDERFUL vacation at Chaa Creek. THANK YOU so very much!!  Please let your staff know.  We could not have been more cared for or have felt more safe on a journey.
Also, the Lodge and all it has to offer are simply fantastic.
We are grateful.
Truly,
Kathleen Grant Khosrowshahi
 
 

Sustainable Tourism has come a long way in the past 10 years. Now it’s not only about appreciating nature but also about helping to preserve it. For hotels and resorts, this means minimizing footprints by reducing energy and water consumption, purchasing eco-friendly products, fostering environmental awareness among guests, and empowering the local community through employment and profit-sharing programs.
Click here to Read More
References:
http://www.spamagazine.com/article/Lifestyle-Healthy-Living/Leave-a-Small-Footprint

Maya Civilization
Archaeologists estimate that at their peak, 1 to 2 million Mayans lived within the borders of present day Belize. Mighty Maya cities such as Caracol, Xunantunich and Lamanai dotted the landscape, with small agricultural communities farming the land between. The Maya civilization is divided into the Pre-Classic (1000 BC to AD 300), the Classic (AD 300 to 900) when the civilization reached its height of development, and the Post-Classic (AD 1000 to 1500) when the civilization fell apart and …

Your full day experience in one of Belize’s nature reserves will amaze you when you see the drastic change from Broad-Leaf Forest to Pine Forest. Your adventure starts from Chaa Creek at 8:00 a.m. and in only 90 minutes you will be admiring the 1000-ft. Waterfall. You will then drive down to the Rio Frio Cave where you can marvel at the awesome corrosive power that water has on Karst Limestone. However, this is not the only attraction at this …

We stayed at Chaa Creek for a few days the third week of February with our two kids- 9 & 13. This place was wonderful- we had a standard cottage as the Treetop suites did not have 4 beds. Ours was number 14 with a beautiful outdoor shower- the “room” was huge and perfectly fine for us. I really liked the no locks policy (with a safe in the room)- we felt completely secure at all times.
The food was good …

Originally slated for May 19 – 22, 2009, in Belmopan, the capital of Belize, the Third Annual World Conference for Responsible Tourism has been postponed till next fall, announced the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) this week.
What happens when a small, scarcely populated backwater of a country is suddenly deluged with a million foreign visitors a year? What’s the best way to address the host of changes and challenges that this brings? Tourism experts from around the world will attempt to …