Belize Officials Say Insurance Requirement May Deter Visitors

Belize's new travel insurance requirement for visitors has not escaped criticism from some tourism stakeholders. Local legislators are questioning the program's impact on travel to Belize as the Caribbean nation seeks to restore visitor arrivals devastated by the pandemic.

In a statement, officials from Belize's United Democratic Party (UDP) asked minister of tourism and diaspora affairs Anthony Mahler and Belize Tourism Board (BTB) officials to "clarify and provide more information regarding the recently imposed mandatory Belize Travel Health Insurance for visitors."

Although they acknowledge other Caribbean nations have established travel insurance requirements following the pandemic outbreak, UDP called the $18 per-person charge for policies provided by the Insurance Corporation of Belize and underwritten by Munich Reid "tantamount to yet another tax on visitors coming to Belize."

"The mandatory insurance may make Belize less competitive than other destinations in the region, UDP officials said, "which the country simply cannot afford in light of visitor arrival data for the first 11 months of 2021 [at] 60 percent under arrival figures for 2019."

"We have consulted with the private sector associations and there were mixed responses," Evan Tillett, Belize's director of tourism, said in a statement to TravelPulse.

"However, we felt that the [travel insurance] proposed was in the best interest of the stakeholders, international guests and Belize," said Tillett. "We will continue to assess the situation and continue to dialog with the industry when forging ahead."

Effective February 15, all Belize visitors will be required to apply for the travel insurance which provides for payment of up to $50,000 in medical expenses related to treatment of COVID-19 for travelers who test positive during their stay.