Canada Issues Safety Travel Advisory for Belize 

The Canadian government is warning its nationals to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling to Belize. The advisory notes that there are high levels of crime throughout the country and that travellers should avoid non-essential travel to southside Belize City. This is due to gang and drug-related violence, including murders and shootings. The advisory highlights the recently declared state of emergency in Belize City and the Cayo district. Today, we asked Tourism Minister Anthony Mahler about the advisory and his message to Canadian travellers.

 

Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism

“We take it seriously and we are in constant dialogue with our PR agency in Canada. WE had a discussion in Cabinet about the state of emergency, what it means, and how we can minimize the negative impacts it has on our industry. And so, we are talking about it. I think the state of emergency is a last resort by the government and so when we had to utilize that It was to contain the violence that happens here in Belize city and other parts of the country, but it is important for us to be able to properly articulate what we are doing, to our partners internationally, because they are not here. They don’t understand that it is only in a small piece of real estate that the violence is happening, not in any of major tourism destinations. So, we have to do a better job in terms of advising them.”

 

Paul Lopez

“So, with that, what do you say to Canadian travelers?”

 

Anthony Mahler

“Come to Belize, it is safe.”