Tour operator David Almendarez held a one-man press conference today to discuss several issues, including his time as a UDP candidate, GOB's union busting tactics, and most importantly, the state of the tourism industry. On the latter, he says that this slow season is one of the worst in memory.
And, not surprisingly, he blamed it on the authorities for increasing the cost of popular sites.
David Almendarez, Tour Operator
"Around this time last year, I couldn't get a tour guide to work for me. Now I could get a tour guide to wash my vehicle. You have tour guides doing construction. Not even two months into the high season, you're having that happening. You have days now where ships don't come for a whole week. No cruise ships, zero. So if your business is 100% dependent on a cruise ship, you make zero dollars that week."
"Last year, they doubled the park fees to all archeological, in some cases more than double, entrance fee per person. What used to cost you $5 per person, costs you $10 per person without any consultation. And I told them, you do that, you'll make Belize, which is already an expensive destination more expensive."
Courtney Menzies:
"We also have to deal with what's happening in the US and the uncertainty that tourists now face."
David Almendarez, Tour Operator
"What's happening in the US?"
Courtney Menzies:
"With President Trump's tariffs."
David Almendarez, Tour Operator
"Based on my experience, the party that travels the most are the Republicans, that's Trump's party right? And from my business, most of them are Republicans. They spend money and travel. And they're not overly concerned about the United States economy right now. Maybe the Democrats and maybe Los Angeles because they have a media coverage of what's going on with ICE but from what I see, the people that travel, the people that vote Republican tend to have the money, they're not fazed by it."
