Belize Is Latest Test Ground for Luxury Development and Environment
Skift Take
Belize should serve as a case study for conscious luxury development. There will be successes and lessons to watch for in the coming years as the effects of a small group of hoteliers' decisions play out in the local environment and culture.
Belize, a small Central American country with a Caribbean shoreline and dense jungle, is slowly shifting its global reputation from a destination suitable for paradise-seeking backpackers and the occasional celebrity home to a luxury hotspot that provides world-class service with intimate access to nature and indigenous communities.
Within the travel industry, the cruise lines have best taken advantage of the destination's relatively virgin landscapes with nearly three-quarters of Belize’s 1.4 million annual visitors arriving by cruise ship for day excursions. That’s starting to change with a number of hospitality players from global corporations to individual hoteliers investing in the future of the market and luxury consumers’ perception of it.
Hilton was the first global player to move into the market with the opening of the Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club as part of the Curio Collection in early 2018. Marriott International is not far behind and recently released photos of its first Belizean hotel Alaia, part of the Autograph Collection, set to open in 2020. And the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Caye Chapel expects to open in 2021.
Individual developers are also staking their claim. Itz’ana Resort and Residences expects to open later this year
