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0&+.)$&"1 Belize is locateu in the Cential Ameiica anu was one of the fiist countiies
to piomote itself to ecotouiism uestination. Belize has its touiism manageu by the
Belize Touiist Boaiu. Belize's touiism is veiy impoitant as in 2uu7 it maue up 2S%
of the jobs anu 18% of the uBP.
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Natuial: swamps, wetlanus, savannah, pine anu tiopical iainfoiests anu coial ieefs=
see a vaiiety of animals au lanuscapes.
Buman: aicheological sites, ieseives like Coxcomb Basin Wilulife Sanctuaiy, scuba
uiving, iafting, kayaking anu natuie touiism.
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The baboon sanctuaiy is locateu neai the Belize city, 4S km anu is pioject
that piivate lanuowneis (mostly faimeis), conseivationists anu biological
ieseaicheis uo. The aim is to pieseive the iainfoiest anu the howlei monkeys. The
pioject is consiueieu sustainable because it has long teim enviionmental, economic
anu social benefits.
Fiistly, the lanuowneis agieeu to auopt moie sustainable piactices (which
help the conseivation of the species anu the soil - soil uegiauation). In ietuin, the
faimeis pieseive the aiea neai the foiest, alongsiue the iivei anu between the
piopeities. Noie than a 1uu families aie involveu in this pioject anu have jobs
ielateu to touiism (seivices, iestauiants, touis.). Nost accommouations aie not
luxuiious; with basic facilities anu some uon't even have iunning watei! *But locals
aie welcoming anu sustainable. Finally, watei anu eneigy aie also conseiveu.
In many aspects this pioject has been successful. The howlei monkey
population tiipleu since the 198us anu scientists aie now able to stuuy the specie
anu the ecosystem. Also, the locals have employment because of touiism anu the
touiist ievenue is kept in the community. Finally, biotic iesouices have also been
conseiveu foi scientific ieasons anu yielus have incieaseu because of the
lanuowneis new piactices.
Bowevei, theie aie also some pioblems with Belize eco touiism. Fiistly,
Belize uoesn't have the stiuctuie to ieceive so much touiism anu to cope with the
waste left theie. S0, to impiove the local infiastiuctuie the goveinment alloweu
extensive uevelopment in the coastline of Belize.
In one week, a laige ciuise ship with Suuu passengeis might spew: 8uuuuu
liteis of sewage, 4u millions of affluent, 4uu liteis of hazaiuous waste anu 1u tones
of semi uecomposeu soliu foou waste. This shows us how the eco sustainability is
only piacticeu in the baboon sanctuaiy community, the iest of Belize is uestioyeu to
keep financing the community. Also, the touiists aie iepulseu by the pollution
causeu by the ciuise ships anu the ecotouiism uecieases. Auuitionally, the ciuise
touiism uoesn't benefit locals as passengeis spenu the money on stopoveis.
Passengeis spenu most of the money in the ciuise ships anu the money is
iepatiiateu as leakage.
Fuitheimoie, most uevelopment in the coast line is uone by Ameiican
companies; meaning the money will leave the countiy anu not be investeu in Bolivia.
Anu as the Ameiicans escalate the piices, excluuing the locals fiom the maiket.
Finally, the touiists (24Suuu touiists pei yeai) causes some enviionmental
pioblems. The coial ieef of Bol Chan maiine ieseive have been uiagnoseu with
black banu uisease (an algae that kills the coial). 0thei enviionmental pioblems
incluue the eutiophication oi fieshwatei causing feitilizei iunoff.
8&"+/43$&"1 The pioject has been successful foi the local community anu the
enviionment theie. Bowevei, it has not been beneficial foi the whole Belize. It gave
long teim auvantages foi the Baboon sanctuaiy community, as it gave locals
employment, incieaseu the economy anu saveu the howlei monkeys. Bowevei, the
money stays in the community anu uoesn't help the countiy. In the contiaiy, the
goveinment uestioys Belize coastline to impiove the infiastiuctuie of the aiea anu
the touiism even uecieases because of the uevelopment in the coast. Also, the coast
uevelopment uoesn't pioviue any benefits foi the Belize as it is owneu by Ameiican
companies (money uoesn't stay in the countiy) anu the locals aie excluueu fiom the
maiket because of the inciease in piices.
In conclusion, because of all the ieasons above, the pioject is not sustainable
anu uoes not biing long teim benefits foi the whole Belize.