Belize and Central America Tourism Continues Recovery Post-Pandemic

Tourism in the Caribbean and Central America has surged after strong U.S. demand for short-haul travel, reported the article Travel and Tour World. The rise in tourism is noticeable across the Caribbean and Central America. Destinations have seen rapid recovery that has been driven largely by U.S. travellers seeking short-haul vacations.

Belize, like other countries in the region, benefits from its proximity to the U.S. and offers a diverse range of adventure travel options that appeal to environmentally conscious tourists. 

According to the Belize Tourism Board, the number of overnight visitors grew by 86,355 visitors, a difference from 372,614 in 2022 to 458,969 in 2024. This data comes from the latest statistics released by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) on November 11, 2024.

Other destinations like Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas were quick to recover post-pandemic as well. Puerto Rico’s passport-free entry and nearby locations like El Salvador, Guatemala, and Belize are gaining popularity for ecotourism.

The Caribbean is also seeing significant cruise tourism growth of 14% more cruise capacity in 2024, which is largely due to the rise of mega-vessels and private islands. These developments help address overtourism and support local economies.

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