In a move heartily welcomed by travelers, Keith Gilges, the American chargé d’affaires in Belize, and Manuel Heredia, Junior, the Belizean Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, have signed the first-ever Open Skies Agreement between the two countries during a ceremony attended by a large group of government officials and prominent businesses in the tourism and aviation sectors.
The new agreement will make it far easier for both passenger and cargo aviation companies to fly between the two countries. The agreement also includes requirements for both governments to conform to industry-leading standards in safety and security. The Open Skies Agreement will lift all restrictions on air connections between Belize and the United States, superseding the terms of the Air Services Agreement which was signed by the United States and the then-British colony of Belize.
The Open Skies Agreement has been a long-standing goal of the Belizean government since it gained independence in 1981. Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Heredia stated, “It was our current Prime Minister, Dean Barrow, who first began the negotiations of this Open Skies Agreement back when he was the Foreign Minister some 20 years ago. And now, at long last, we have successfully been able to formalize the long-standing good relations between Belize and the United States in the field of air transportation.”
The American chargé d’affaires, Keith Gilges, the highest-ranking American diplomat in Belize, also spoke at the ceremony. “We believe that this new agreement will help expand opportunities for air travel and commerce while strengthening the relationship between our two countries.”
“The signing of this new Open Skies Agreement is excellent news,” said Rhoda Gill, the marketing manager for Caves Branch Lodge.
“The agreement will make it much easier for Americans who want to visit our country. Caves Branch is currently offering a special promotion of 25 percent off all of our rooms and all-inclusive packages for tourists who visit Belize by Oct 31, 2018, as a way to welcome them to the country.”
Caves Branch Lodge is the premier adventure lodge in Belize and is located deep in the heart of the rainforest near the capital Belmopan.
The Lodge specializes in adventure tours such as guided birdwatching expeditions (over 300 species have been recorded on the Lodge’s grounds!), visiting a botanical garden, hiking through the jungle, zip lining, cave tubing (navigating underground rivers by inner tube), rappelling, and horseback riding.
Caves Branch also works with beach resorts to offer guests all-inclusive jungle and sea packages in order to experience the best that both worlds have to offer.