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The Placencia Peninsula Sustainable Tourism Project 2009-2012: Where Are We Going With It?
August 26, 2009 was the first true community meeting of Placencia’s concerned citizens of all backgrounds and the Belize Tourism Board’s STP team, headed by Project Manager Noel Jacobs. In attendance at the head table was Director of Tourism Tracy Panton, CEO of Tourism Michael Singh, Environmental Tourism Specialist Terry Wright, Physical Planning Specialist Christy Mastry, Chairman of BTB Board of Directors Gaspar Guerrero and Southern Regional Rep to the BTB Board Lindsay Garbutt.
What exactly is the essence of any Sustainable Tourism project – a term that seems to have been forgotten by developers and development projects currently underway? Strictly defined it should meet the following criteria:
A. The project has established or will establish effective sustainable management practices.
B. The project will maximize social and economic benefits to the local community and minimize negative impacts.
C. The project will maximize benefits to cultural heritage and minimize negative impacts.
D. The project will maximize benefits to the environment and minimize negative impacts.
E. The project will minimize its negative impacts on the tourism destination.
What’s brewing for Placencia’s portion of the Inter-American Development Bank US$13.5 loan? US$1.3 Million has been allocated for some kind of revitalization of the Placencia Fisher Folk’s Co-op land at “The Point” – the waterfront area of the Peninsula already rather haphazardly developed over the years with a currently partially-disabled fuel station thanks to recent major earthquake damage, a number of dive-shop operations, the historic Placencia Ice House and Co-op commercial center. It is also used as a loading and off-loading spot for the local commercial fishing and diving skiffs. The village dock, an extension of Placencia’s famous Sidewalk, was badly damaged by Hurricane Iris in 2001 and remains in that condition to this day.
The consensus of the large and vocal audience was that Placencia needs a development within the limited budget that could be classified as a “Hybrid” waterfront: focusing on a major upgrade of the land area as well as a sensible improvement of the dock itself, not, as some had already promoted, a grandiose and impractical two- or three-story building on said dock. Also, it was felt that there was no need to currently worry about whether it would be National or International grade, as there is a perfectly good Customs and Immigration center across the lagoon in Big Creek.
What emerged was a leaning towards a low-key dock front area (not ignoring practicalities such as the Village’s first and only public Restroom facilities and a vehicle access and parking plan) with an imaginative redo of the Co-op buildings, and facilities for local working fishing and tour operator boats, as well as a place for locals and tourists alike to sit and enjoy the waterfront views.
Look for more updates as we have them.
