Duties and functions of the Council

The duties and functions of the Council shall include but shall not be limited to the following, (a) the implementation and monitoring of the Belize National Tourism Policy Plan referred to in section 9 (g) of this Act, in a manner that maximizes the contribution of tourism to the economic growth of Belize; (b) advocating the generation of employment for Belizean citizens in the tourism industry; (c) bringing awareness to the public about the importance of tourism to Belize, while maintaining and developing the socio-cultural values of the citizens of Belize; (d) encouraging programmes that educate the public about the cross-cultural benefits of tourism, and encouraging the public to appreciate Belizean and regional geography, history, ethnic diversity and cultures so as to 13 better understand tourists while they are in Belize; (e) promoting and encouraging the safe movement of tourists in Belize in an environment free from criminal activity and the fears arising therefrom by advocating the strict enforcement of the laws of Belize as they relate to criminal interferences with tourists, in a manner which is not prejudicial to the general public; (f) advocating and encouraging the protection and preservation of Belize’s natural and cultural environment by increasing linkages between tourism and the environment and other related subjects; (g) promoting mechanisms that increase Belize’s overall capacity to plan and manage its tourism sector by ensuring that there are adequately trained and skilled tourism professionals with the capacity to meet the future needs of the tourism sector both as participants and owners, and ensuring that tourism education and training programmes are available locally to meet the needs of the tourism sector; (h) promoting a cost-effective approach to all tourism-related activities undertaken by or for and on behalf of the Government; (i) advocating that the general benefits of tourism reach the ordinary citizen of Belize; (j) undertaking research into the tourism sector which enables the to gather 14 information and data necessary to make informed decisions; (k) generally taking all such other lawful measures as it considers fit and proper to assist it in carrying out its functions most effectively.