Identification of climate compatible tourism adaptation options for Belize

The tourism industry is a critical component of Belize's economy, contributing between 18% and 34% of GDP depending on the assessment. The sector is primarily based on eco-tourism and culture, with 80% of visitors engaging in reef-based activities. However, the industry faces significant challenges exacerbated by climate change, including poor land accessibility, inadequate natural asset management, insufficient waste and sewage systems, lack of urban land planning leading to beach erosion, and a lack of public awareness regarding the sustainable use of natural resources.

• Tourism is a major economic driver for Belize, with estimates of its contribution to GDP ranging from 18% to 25%, and a 2012 estimate placing the total contribution at 34%, which equals approximately BZD567 Million.
• Belize's tourism is heavily reliant on natural assets, specifically marine resources; a vulnerability assessment indicates that 80% of visitors seek reef-based activities such as snorkelling and diving.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2017). Identification of climate compatible tourism adaptation options for Belize. https://cdkn.org/resource/report-identification-climate-compatible-tourism-adaptation-options-belize

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. Identification of climate compatible tourism adaptation options for Belize. 2017. https://cdkn.org/resource/report-identification-climate-compatible-tourism-adaptation-options-belize.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=Identification of climate compatible tourism adaptation options for Belize |date=27 January 2017 |url=https://cdkn.org/resource/report-identification-climate-compatible-tourism-adaptation-options-belize |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2017identification, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{Identification of climate compatible tourism adaptation options for Belize}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2017}, month = jan, url = {https://cdkn.org/resource/report-identification-climate-compatible-tourism-adaptation-options-belize}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }