Belize has opened its doors to tourism, but is imposing new restrictions due to an increase in crime.

Belize is open for tourism to all countries (including the USA). Submitting a negative COVID test on arrival is required.

Most passengers should take an additional test upon arrival. Travelers who test positive for COVID-19 will be placed in mandatory quarantine for 14 days at their own expense. The government recommends purchasing international health insurance that covers COVID-19 before arrival.

Disclaimer: Travel restrictions and governmental regulations can change rapidly and the information below might be outdated within a few hours. Therefore, double-check all information with your embassy or on official websites. Traveling Lifestyle does not take any responsibility for your decision to travel.

Belize Reopening to Tourism – Latest Update

July 4 – Belize to enforce new restrictions from July 4 as COVID-19 cases surge continues

The Ministry of Health and Wellness Michel Chebat, is confident that with the adjusted COVID-19 regulations the surge in COVID-19 cases can improve.

“Well again some of the measures we’re gonna be implementing on Sunday we hope will help to ameliorate those situations,” said Chebat in an interview on Wednesday.

The new restrictions will include adjustments to curfew hours, restrictions on church services, restaurants and others.

“I believe we’ll be putting it in the protocols to ensure that we get the 50% capacity. In terms of restaurants we will continue with the 75% capacity for outdoor and 50% for indoor dining but, and here is the change, we will not be allowing dining inside a restaurant that does not have a free flow of air that is not properly ventilated” he added.

Source

June 16 – Belize to welcome back its first fully-vaccinated cruise ship on July 7

As part of its reopening plan, the country will welcome back its first cruise ship in more than a year.

Belize has been praised for its efficient COVID-19 pandemic management which has allowed the country to safely reopen for tourism under a number of requirements.

In order to ensure the safety of these visitors, Belize has demanded that every single one of the passengers and the crew are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Belize has also released a series of protocols that this and future cruise ships should follow from home port to destination and return.

“This is encouraging news for thousands of Belizeans that work in the tourism sector who are looking forward to welcoming cruise guests to our shores once again,” said the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) in a statement.

(Source: BBelizeNews)

May 27 – Belize will no longer require visitors to download its health tracking app

Belize has lifted another important travel restriction. Back in March, the country eliminated the negative COVID-19 test requirement for vaccinated travelers who could prove they had received two shots of a vaccine.

Now, according to Belize authorities, travelers no longer need to upload their health records to their health tracking app. Lots of travelers did not feel confident sharing this information with the government and private business.

However, visitors still need to bring proof of full COVID-19 immunization received at least two weeks prior to arrival, a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 96 prior to arrival, or a “negative rapid test (Rapid Antigen, Sofia, SD Biosensor, and ABBOTT) taken within 48 hours of travel.”

(Source: Belize Travel health & Healthy ONG)

May 11 – Belize has just joined the exclusive list of the safest countries in the world according to CDC

With more than 40,000 vaccinated people (10% of its inhabitants) and less than 400 active COVID-19 cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recently dropped its travel alert, making it one of the safest countries in the world to visit during COVID.

Back in March, Belize became the first Caribbean country to waive entry restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers. Now visitors can enjoy their natural beauties in a CDC-approved safe environment.

April 22 – Belize is lifting internal restrictions but won’t reopen land borders with Mexico and Guatemala yet

Prime Minister of Belize John Briceno, lifted a series of internal restrictions on April 16. Casinos -which employs hundreds of local people- reopened for business. Additionally, the Corozal Free Zone, the street side vending and other working and tourist activities have been reopened under strict biosecurity measures such as social distancing and mask wearing.

According to Briceno, the Cabinet has talked about the necessity to reopen their land borders with Mexico and Guatemala but they “feel” neither of these countries have taken the pandemic as seriously and effectively as Belize has, and the government wants to keep their figures under control.

What flights to Belize are available during a pandemic?

The Philip Goldson International airport (BZE) is now open but travel to Belize is available by air only. All land borders and sea ports will remain closed until further notice.

COVID-19 cases in Belize

Belize is a very safe country. As of July 4, it has reported 13,343 COVID cases and 330 deaths caused by the virus.

What are the required safety measures for traveling to Belize?

The following stringent safety measures will be required when Belize re-opens:

• All those entering the country must have taken a Covid-19 test within 72 hours of arriving in Philip Goldson International Airport.
• Upon arrival, shoes will be sanitized and temperatures checked.
• Most passengers will have to take an additional test upon arrival. If their results return positive, they must undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine at their own expense.

These measures are in addition to the common-sense precautions all travelers should be taking such as wearing masks and washing their hands.

For the most up to date information, please visit the Ministry of Health Belize website or contact your embassy in Belize.

Top reasons to visit Belize

Belize is a haven for water sports. You can go deep-sea fishing, sailing, and kayaking. Shark Ray Alley near Ambergris Caye allows you to swim with sharks and rays.

Then, there is scuba diving. The Belize Barrier Reef system is part of the second largest barrier reef in the world. One of its attractions is the Great Blue Hole, which was made famous by Jacques Cousteau.

Belize is also a haven for nature-lovers. There are lush rainforests. The Cockscomb Wildlife Sanctuary has a jaguar preserve. Visitors here may not see these elusive cats but they will find tapirs, howler monkeys, and tropical birds galore as well as other wildlife.

The Maya mountains provide many hiking trails to climb and lovely waterfalls to swim under.

Zipline tours appeal to adrenaline junkies while cave tubing provides a different type of adventure. Tourists relax on an inner tube as they float through magnificent underground caverns.

History buffs will enjoy visiting the many Mayan ruins. They can learn how to make chocolate the way the Maya did or visit the Belize Spice Farm for a culinary adventure.

The open-air markets in most towns are fun places to shop. Mingling with locals and bargaining are easy because the official language is English and the currency is pegged to the US dollar.

For those who enjoy music, Belize has a unique musical genre thanks to the Garifuna. Their music blends Afro-Caribbean and traditional Mayan influences.

Check out other alternatives in Central America:
– Is Panama Open for Tourism?
– Is Costa Rica Open for Tourists?
– Is it safe to visit Mexico during COVID?

The post Belize is fully open for tourism but reinforces restrictions again due to a spike appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

------------------------------------------

By: Viktor Vincej
Title: Belize is fully open for tourism but reinforces restrictions again due to a spike
Sourced From: www.travelinglifestyle.net/belize-reopening-for-tourism-is-delayed-to-3rd-of-sept-all-you-need-to-know/
Published Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2023 16:05:39 +0000

Read More