Tourism minister says Belize remains safe despite state of emergency

November 10, 2026
by Belize Hub +

Minister of Tourism Anthony Mahler says crime is one of the threats facing Belize’s tourism industry, as the country works to promote itself abroad while a state of emergency is in effect at home.

Belize Tourism Board delegations spent the past week promoting the country at the World Travel Market in London and at a major tourism trade show in Taiwan. Meanwhile, the government declared a state of emergency in parts of Belize City, the Belize District and the Cayo District following a surge in violent crime.

Mahler said he has spoken with the Prime Minister and the minister responsible for police, and that the tourism sector wants to help. “There are so many things that can affect the tourism industry. But we continue to move along. Crime is one of them,” he said. “And I’ve spoken to the Prime Minister, I’ve spoken to the minister responsible for police, and we want to do our part.”

Supporting tourism safety

Mahler said the BTB helps sponsor the Tourism Police Unit and also supports a concierge unit that operates mainly in Belize City. He said the board is looking to expand that unit.

Perception versus reality

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The minister acknowledged that how safe a destination feels is critical, and that some people abroad view Belize as unsafe. He stressed that the violence is concentrated in a small part of the country.

“I can’t underscore the importance of a destination feeling safe,” Mahler said. “The perception out there is that Belize is not a safe destination, but there is only a small portion of Belize that’s afflicted by this crime and violence that we see. For the most part, and if you look at Belize in its totality, Belize is a safe destination.”

He added that more work is needed. “That’s not to say that we don’t need to do more, and we will do our part as an industry to support the policing efforts that are taking place.”