Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires“accommodation” means lodging or sleeping accommodation and any services and facilities ancillary thereto provided in any hotel or tourist accommodation for the guests thereof; “accommodation charges” means the sum paid or payable by or on behalf of guests for accommodation provided in a hotel or tourist accommodation, inclusive of any other charges in respect of board, whether the sum becomes payable in Belize or otherwise; “apartment/apartment studio” means any building that offers more than one unit with independent single public entrance to each unit; “bed and breakfast” means any building or group or interconnected buildings that provides– (a) one or more rooms for the use of guests; 6 (b) an independent entrance to each room; (c) breakfast at a cost included in the room rate; and (d) private bathrooms; “Belize Tourism Board” means the Belize Tourism Board established under the Belize Tourism Board Act; CAP. 275. “cabin/cabana” means any unit– (a) built in the form of detached units; and (b) located on a single parcel in a natural area; “camping ground” means any area that is designated for tents, caravans, recreational vehicles or other camping platform and provides a bathroom facility and common area for the use of “condominium” means any building with– (a) three or more units separately owned through strata titles and with joint ownership of common areas; and (b) independent single public entrance to each unit; “guest” means any individual, who stays in a hotel or tourist accommodation facility, whether foreigner or Belizean; “guest house” means any building or group of interconnected buildings that provides– (a) one or more rooms for the use of guests; 7 (b) an independent entrance to each room; and (c) private or shared bathrooms; “homestay” means any building, managed by an association, with five or more residential units that provides shared bathroom facilities and at least one room for the use of guest, and offers– (a) a mutual cultural exchange experience with a local host family; (b) traditional meals; and (c) daily activities; “hostel” means any building or group of interconnected buildings that provides– (a) one or more private or shared rooms for (b) an independent entrance to each room; and (c) private or shared bathrooms; “hotel” means any building or group of interconnected buildings with a public entrance, providing at least ten bedrooms for the use of guests, and offers– (a) accommodation with private bathrooms; (b) breakfast service; (c) a lobby with at least twelve hour reception 8 (d) ancillary services; and (e) amenities; “live-aboard” means any vessel, supported by means of flotation and capable of being used for self-propelled navigation and is used solely as a residence for tourists, guests, place of business, professional enterprise or other commercial enterprise; “licence” means a licence granted under section 9; “lodge” means any building or group of interconnected buildings, located in a natural area, and provides– (a) one or more rooms for the use of guests; (b) an independent entrance to each room; and (c) private or shared bathrooms; “Minister” means the Minister responsible for tourism; “motel” means any building or group of interconnected buildings that is located in the vicinity of a highway and provides– (a) one or more rooms with private bathroom; (b) one allocated parking space per guestroom; (c) public entrance to the building; and (d) 24 hour reception service; “owner”, in relation to a hotel, or a building providing tourist accommodation, means a person other than a mortgagee not in possession who is for the time being entitled to dispose of the 9 fee simple of the hotel or such building as aforesaid, and includes a joint owner and a body corporate; “person” includes a natural person, and a body of persons, whether or not such body is corporate or unincorporate; “proprietor” includes the owner of a hotel or a building providing tourist accommodation and any person, not being such owner, who for the time being has immediate control over the management of the hotel or such building as aforesaid; “Registrar” means the Registrar of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation appointed under section 3; “religious, educational, research or community based facility” means any building or group of interconnected buildings used for the purpose of religion, education or research and provides– (a) one or more rooms with an independent entrance; and (b) private or shared bathrooms; “resort” means any building or group of interconnected buildings with– (a) a public entrance; (b) at least 20 rooms with private bathrooms; (c) food and beverage facilities, with services providing breakfast, lunch and dinner; (d) a lobby that has at least 12 hour reception (e) ancillary services; 10 (f) amenities; and (g) at least 3 recreational activities, of which at least one of those activities shall be carried outside the establishment and the others within the surroundings of the establishment; “service charge” means any money or other thing of value collected or received from a guest or customer of any hotel, tourist accommodation building, restaurant, cafe, nightclub or other place of entertainment or hospitality, which is in excess of the basic contractual liability of that guest or customer and is, or is purported to be, collected or received in respect of the quality of service afforded to that guest or customer, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, includes any sum, whether calculated on the basis of a fixed percentage or otherwise, levied on the amount charged to such guest or customer and expressed to be in respect of service; “tax” or “accommodation tax” means the tax levied on accommodation charges under this Act; “tourist” means a visitor visiting Belize for a period not exceeding six months; ““tourist accommodation” means any– (a) apartment / apartment studio; (b) condominium; (c) guest house; (d) resort; (e) motel; 11 (f) bed and breakfast; (g) lodge; (h) vacation home / room rental; (i) hostel; (j) homestay; (k) live-aboard vessel; (l) camping ground; (m) religious, educational, research or community based facility; (n) cabin/cabanas; or (o) any other establishment, other than a hotel, consisting of one or more units for the accommodation of guests for reward, situated within the same complex or precincts; “unit” means an enclosed area comprising of a bedroom, bathroom, living area and kitchen for the accommodation of guests for reward; “vacation home/room rental” means one or more detached units or part of a detached unit that does not exceed three floors and– (a) has an independent or common entrance to each unit; and (b) private or shared bathroom in each unit. 12