Belize City, Wednesday, April 1st, 2009 – Belize will host the Third International Conference on Responsible Tourism (ICRT) in Destinations to be held from May 18th – May 21st, 2009 (Now postponed until October). The conference will be held in Belize’s capital city of Belmopan where ICRT members from all over the world such as Gambia, India, and South Africa will be attending.

ICRT-Belize is the Central American and Caribbean arm of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism – United Kingdom (ICRT-UK). The ICRT-Belize is an integral part of the growing family of ICRT’s in other parts of the world such as the Gambia, India, and South Africa.

Objectives of the conference include facilitating the continued education of the Belizean masses in all aspects of Responsible Tourism and how it relates to and affects them, supporting the local economy by encouraging the locals and tourists to purchase locally produced items, implementing the employment of bi-laws, national tourism policy, national responsible tourism policy and the development industry corrective measures for any prevailing issues and organizing symposiums and conferences on the issues confronting Belize in the sustainable development of tourism.

The Third International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations is being held in partnership with the tourism private sector and is being sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation and the Belize Tourism Board. The conference will be co-chaired by ICRT-Belize and Professor Harold Goodwin of the ICRT of Leeds Metropolitan University in UK.

The agenda for the conference will focus on issues affecting the tourism development in Belize and the Caribbean and Central American regions and include issues such as: Tourism and Local Economic Development, Impacts of Tourism on the Marine and Coastal Zone in Belize and around the world, Impacts of Cruise Tourism in Belize and around the world, Second homes, condominiums and their impact on local communities.

Presenters include Harold Goodwin, International Centre for Responsible Tourism-UK, Heidi Keyser, (South Africa), Adama Bah, (ICRT-West), Stephen Tinsley (Scotland), Chris Rogerson (South Africa), Bill Eichbaum (World Wildlife Fund), Vanessa Perez , Vincent Gillett (Coastal Zone Management Agency), Stuart Krohn (Coastal tourism development: Belize example and vision) , Cameron Boyd (Hotelier from Siaan Kaan Biosphere Reserve with successful development in Belize), Colin Young: Galen University, Glen Haas/Bob Aukerman, Andrea Gough (The work of the World Heritage Alliance), Dr. Ross Klein (Memorial University, Canada), Valerie Woods (Local consultant) The Development of Cruise Tourism in Belize (TBC), Martha Honey (CESD) –, Dr. Daniel Scott Canada Research Chair/Global Change & Tourism and Dr Murray Simpson Climate change and tourism in small island states and developing countries.

Friday, May 22nd is slated as the Academic Day for the Conference whereby the public is encouraged to attend. Presenters for the academic day include Dr. Anabel Ford (USC Santa Barbara, Dr. Ross Klein (Memorial University, Canada), Dr, Glen Haas/Dr. Bob Aukerman (The development of the Protected Areas Conservation Trust in Belize) and Dr. Chris Rogerson (Route Tourism and Local Economic Development).

The ICRT-Belize was established in April 2008 as a not-for-profit organization based in Belmopan City, Belize and having satellite offices in San Ignacio Town and Belize City. The ICRT-Belize provides policy advice, research and consultation on developing Responsible Tourism in Belize, the Caribbean and Central America.