Belize is one of Developing World’s 10 Best Ethical Destinations (and Nicaragua is dropped from list)

January 3rd, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Much respect to The Ethical Traveler, the world’s “first grass-roots alliance uniting adventurers, tourists, travel agencies, and outfitters” in the belief that “all travelers are, in effect, freelance ambassadors.” I’m happy to report that the ET included Belize on a very elite list, as reported in this article for the San Francisco Chronicle by Spud Hilton:

“The list is based on three general categories—environmental protection, social welfare and human rights—as well as a number of subcategories, including preservation of resources, mortality rate, civil liberties, safe drinking water and political rights, to name a few. The idea is that nations with responsible policies, not just sexy attractions, should be recognized and rewarded.” (more…)

5 Ways to Reduce Your Impact on Endangered Wildlife while Traveling in Belize and Other Countries

December 14th, 2009 | By Joshua | 2 Comments »

Parrot poaching is a big deal. Especially for the Yellow-headed Amazon parrot (Amazona oratrix), a gorgeous species under serious threat of extinction in the world. Its numbers plummeted from 70,000 to 7,000 in the last two decades. Human encroachment on natural habitat fuels nest-robbing for the illegal pet trade. Belize Bird Rescue, a non-profit organization operating on a private reserve in western Belize, reports that 65% of all wild-caught captive birds die before they reach sale. Of those that make it, most are sold to people who have no idea how to raise a baby parrot, so the majority die in their first year, or grow up with leg, foot, or wing deformities due to malnutrition.

In Belize, some poached birds are sold on the international market, while others end up in homes or in businesses who want to add “color” to attract tourists. That’s where you and I come in. (more…)

Tranquilo Traveler meets Where Am I Wearing

December 7th, 2009 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Muchisimas gracias to the original touron himself, Kelsey Timmerman, for having me over for a beer and a guest spot on his blog, Where Am I Wearing? which is also the name of Kelsey’s excellent book, Where Am I Wearing? A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People that Make Our Clothes.

As I point out, you don’t see many “Made-in-Belize” labels (there is no garment industry there, unlike the rest of Central America), but if you know where to look, there are some wonderful cottage industries to explore. Kelsey’s next book is Where Am I Eating?, and I offer some suggestions for what I think would be a great chapter on the Fair Trade–certified cacao trade of southern Belize. Enjoy:

Joshua “You Better Belize It!” Berman

Tranquilo Travel Bloggers Caravan Comes to Belize!

December 6th, 2009 | By Joshua | 14 Comments »

Welcome travelers, bloggers, and free stuff–seekers! This month, I’ve joined 14 fellow travel writers in a giveaway of prizes including Westin and Marriott hotel stays, noise-cancelling headphones, digital cameras, luggage, camera bags, and a Lingo 16-Language Translator. Follow the fun here and cash in on the prizes daily.

Today, I’ll be giving away a fresh, autographed copy of my book, Moon Belize, AND a personal trip-consulting session with the author. To be entered into the drawing, all you have to do is leave a question or comment about Belize in the comments section below. What is your favorite thing about the country? What would you like to know about Belize? Good luck!

Happy Garifuna Settlement Day 2009! And spotlight on another Moon Belize contributor

November 19th, 2009 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Today is the anniversary of my first day ever in Belize, 6 years ago, when I woke up on Garifuna Settlement Day in Belize City. Here is a fantastic piece by Susanne Hackett for National Geographic:

Happy Garifuna Settlement Day!

She writes, “While in Belize for Garifuna Settlement Day last year I had the opportunity to sit down with and interview Andy Palacio, the late musician and leader of the international movement to preserve Garifuna language and culture, two months before he died (more…)

Author interview on Gadling about Belize and beyond

November 17th, 2009 | By Joshua | No Comments »

From an interview with Gadling’s Brenda Yun:

GAD: With ever increasing eco-tourism and travel advancements in Belize, what kinds of changes do you see for the country as a travel destination within the next ten years?
JB: Belize is constantly walking the line of sustainability when it comes to tourism. There are always massive projects being proposed to increase cruise tourism, the airport, and the size of the developments on delicate islands and wetlands. But when it comes down to it, nearly 70 percent of Belize’s 500 or so hotels have 10 rooms or less. That means small structures, family-run hotels, and lower impacts on the environment than big resorts and mega-hotels, which are standard fare just up the coast in Cancun.

I also think that there are just too many forward-thinking people involved in Belize tourism to let it go astray. Belize recently hosted the third annual World Responsible Tourism Conference, which is a big deal. Ten years from now, I think Ambergris Caye and Placencia will continue to be built up, but the rest of the country will remain wild and small. We’ll see. READ THE WHOLE INTERVIEW->

Related: Moon Belize Book Giveaway & Review of Moon Belize

MOON BELIZE book giveaway! Deadline is Wednesday to leave a comment about your personal Belize must-see

November 16th, 2009 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Next stop on my blog tour: the esteemed gadling.com, a fun and sharp travel blog I’ve been bookmarking for years (and I’m not just saying that because they liked my book). In any case, they are following up their book review with a giveaway. To win a copy of Moon Belize, read the rules and add a comment at the bottom of the giveaway page by Wednesday, identifying “the one activity/place in Belize that you would absolutely not want to pass up when you go there.”

Three sentence max. Go.

Belize Travel Tips: Article on Away.com

November 4th, 2009 | By Joshua | 1 Comment »

My blog tour continues with this article on Away.com:

“Belize: Top 5 Insider Travel Tips”

Tip # 1. If you find yourself on a tight budget after your plane fare to Belize blew most of your wad, choose a budget accommodation from the Toucan Trail, an association of small, often family-run hotels in Belize that charge less than $60 per night. Believe it or not, there are over 100 of these inexpensive options, located throughout the country.
Read article->

BELIZE TIMES: Belize Prime Minister supports mass tourism, new cruise ship port

November 1st, 2009 | By Joshua | 1 Comment »

Belize Times is reporting the PM Dean Barrow’s comments on tourism in his Independence Day speech would drag the country’s fledgling industry in the wrong direction—i.e., the cruise ship and massive development direction. This, after Barrow apparently was a no-show for his scheduled talk at last week’s International Conference on Responsible Tourism, a huge deal for Belize to be hosting. I hope the PM strongly considers this editorial:

PM Barrow supports mass tourism for Belize

“If Belize’s tourism growth is to be done responsibly, why is the Prime Minister boasting cruise plans for the southern part of Belize? Shouldn’t we focus on controlling this type of tourism? Instead of expanding it, shouldn’t we be discussing how we can manage the existing traffic we are getting so that our protected areas, cultural sites and other natural features of this country (both marine and terrestrial) are no longer being desecrated and damage by the volumes of people who come to our shores just for a few hours?  (more…)

Nat-Geo Traveler rates the worlds’ best places

November 1st, 2009 | By Joshua | No Comments »

I participated in the 2009 National Geographic Traveler Destination Scorecard Places Rated survey, in which 437 travel experts were asked to rate 133 of the world’s most celebrated and iconic travel destinations, specifically, how well they have each “weathered the pressures of mass tourism and other threats.” This is the 6th year that National Geographic Traveler, in conjunction with National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, has done the survey, which provides an interesting snapshot of these destinations as they change. The survey is the cover story of the November-December 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine, on newsstands Nov. 3.

I contributed to the section on Belize’s reefs and islands, which scored a 59 out of 100. The area is cited as being “right in the crosshairs of overdevelopment,” with challenges that include cruise tourism growth, inadequate tourist education, and lax enforcement of environmental regulations. Pictured above: Goff’s Caye, which is completely overrun with tourists on cruise ship days. (more…)