Cayo Scoop! The Ecology of Cayo Culture

The Department of Youth Services is teaming up with the Commonwealth of Learning and will be having a 6 week Tourism Training Program for young men from the age of 17 to 29. It's a 6 month tourism program, having hands on and in class education.

For additional details or to register, please visit the following link: https://www.nexusbz.org/registration or use the QR code.

Forbes has a great article highlighting Belize, and its focus on sustainability.  It's highly Cayo centric, as it should be, without mentioning Cayo nor San Ignacio.  It explains how we have the cultural, culinary, and adventure tourism that makes for an unforgettable time.  

'Belize is located in Central America, but it has a decidedly Caribbean feel, making it appealing for visitors who want to go snorkeling and diving in some of the most beautiful water in the world...Preserving their environment is not only the right thing to do, but it also makes good economic sense.

For example, to protect endangered species such as the jaguar, Belize is a partner of the Maya Forest Corridor, protecting landscapes from Belize’s Maya Mountains, through the tri-national Maya forest of Belize, Mexico, and Guatemala. This region is the most extensive continuous stretch of jungle in Central America.'

The Belize Tourism Board won an Industry Leader award from TripSavvy for their work to keep Covid 19 controlled and out of the country.  Congratulations, BTB!  

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHHGZt0lDay/

"In an attempt to protect its small population of 400,000 while bringing back tourism to safeguard its economy, Belize has put in place some of the most restrictive visitor safety measures in the Caribbean...

In an attempt to protect its small population of 400,000 while bringing back tourism to safeguard its economy, Belize has put in place some of the most restrictive visitor safety measures in the Caribbean. With a “tourism safe corridor;” “Tourism Gold Standard” certification program for hotels, tour operators, and attractions; and comprehensive Health & Safety guidelines for visitors to follow, the government continues to balance public health during its “Phase 3” reopening."

Great news for Belize: according to BTB numbers, overnight tourists are up almost 11%, bringing in quality tourism dollars, and cruise tourists are going down, meaning less deterioration to the reef.  Yes, 2012 was exceptional for tourism, especially overnight tourism, which had an overall 10.7% increase from last year.  In 2012, there were 26,872 more visitors than in 2011: 277,135 visitors for the entire year.  Cayo has obviously been busier in regards to tourism.

"The Belize Tourism Board wishes to extend hearty congratulations to all Belizeans, our partners and stakeholders.  It is through continuous hard work, collaboration and dedication that we are able to achieve such impressive results.  We look forward to an even greater year in 2013!"

The Cayo Welcome Center is almost done.  Many local businesses are also making improvements.  Downtown will be looking picture perfect in no time.

CET will be having their first ever Job Fair on Friday the 29th. It'll go from 9am to 2pm, and everyone is welcome.

'Cayo Centre for employment training is hosting its first ever Job Fair. If you are looking for employment in the Tourism Hospitality Field or Construction Trade, we invite you to join us on CCET campus as we invite Industry Partners that are looking for suitable candidates for employment.'

Good news for Belize on the economic front: economic activity, real GDP growth, is forecasted to expand by 2.7% in 2013.  Overnight tourism numbers are expected to go up also, and Cayo will surely benefit immensely from that.  

"Economic activity is forecasted to expand by 2.7% in 2013, as the underlying factors that boosted activity in 2012 are expected to moderate.  The projection, which is subject to sizeable downside risks such as commodity price shocks and weather-related setbacks, assumes that the gradual upturn in global growth to 3.5% (Source: IMF World Economic Outlook) continues to support the tertiary sector through the tourism channel.  The primary sector is expected to return to low single digit growth owing largely to a return to normal crop cycles and a forecasted downturn in citrus output.  The secondary sector is expected to eke out a small increase despite headwinds facing the petroleum and domestic electricity generation sub-sectors."

The Cayo Welcome Center is really close to being finished.  All the buildings have their walls and roofs completed.  They've finishing the bus entry, which will be right across from the market.  Is that a toucan statue?

Caves Branch is doing something different.  They're offering packages where you can learn cheese making skills between the jungle adventures.  Sounds unique.  Hope they sell some cheeses at the Saturday market.

"Whether you love to eat great cheese and want to know more, or have a desire to make cheese at home for friends and family, or want to pursue cheesemaking as a career, these classes are designed to help you attain a deeper understanding of the secrets of cheese making.  And when you’re not in class, explore the Caves Branch Jungle lodge and participate in exciting jungle tours."

The Cayo Welcome Center is looking great!  Downtown is getting a major facelift with this project.