And looking at the regional cruise tourism picture, Belize;s biggest competitors in the cruise industry are nearby destinations like Cozumel, Mahahual and Roatan which both have berthing facilities. They have higher visitation numbers but Enriquez says they still cannot offer what Belize has:
Lloyd Enriquez, Director of Cruise Capacity Development, BTB
"So that's one of the differentiating factors for us. That's one of the areas where we have an advantage in Belize because Belize is unlike any other. You go to other destinations, it's pretty much just sun."
"Belize has a wide variety of things that guests can partake in. They can go to Maya sites, they can go snorkeling, they can go to the zoo, they can go ziplining. And these are all very authentic destinations."
"So for sure excursions in Belize, the cruise lines tell us that they make more money on average than they do in another port in the region. And that's a big draw for us. A very authentic experience that the cruise passengers have when they're here."
