“Belize as ready as we can be for reopening of airport,” says BTB

By BBN Staff: In just over a week Belize will reopen the Philip Goldson International Airport to receive tourists, as well as Belizeans, coming home from abroad and the Belize Tourism Board says the country is as ready as it can be for when it happens.

Director of Tourism for the BTB, Karen Bevans spoke to Breaking Belize News today, explaining that even during the countrywide lockdowns and restricted movement measures that started in back in March, the BTB has been hard at work doing research, receiving training, and preparing policies and protocols to ensure the reopening is safe for tourists and Belizeans alike when the airport reopens on October 1.

Among the preparations Bevans explained is the establishment of the BTB Gold standard Certification for accommodations which have met health and safety standards, the establishment of a “Safe Corridor” system, and the development of the Belize Health Mobile Application, which will be used as a tool to limit contact at the airport by removing the requirement to fill out a physical immigration form. The mobile application also serves as a means of tracking for health authorities to know where travelers have been in the event of a COVID-19 infection.

Bevans said that under the Safe Corridor System travelers will be ushered through a structured process from the airport to their Gold Standard Certified accommodations with no stops to minimize contact with areas and persons outside the safe zone.

“From there all the amenities are available on property. So, we encourage the property rather than taking them to, let’s say they want to do chocolate making, bring the person who would do that on the property, so they will get the local experience but in a more controlled environment.”

She added that the airport now has luggage scanners which will remove the element of authorities touching and physically checking luggage as a further means of preventing the spread of the virus.

“I’ll put it this way, we are as ready as we can be,” Bevans said. “I am pleased with the effort of the entire industry, my staff, and the other agencies who have been working tirelessly to get this in place.”

The full list of Gold Standard Certified accommodations can be found on the BTB’s website.

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