As COVID cases continue to dwindle across Belize, officials lift the national mask mandate as of March 1, 2022, allowing persons to remove their face masks in open-air spaces. In a move that furthers the tourism-reliant destination’s return to pre-pandemic normality, the Government also announced the removal of its countrywide curfew within the same Statutory Instrument, too. In Belize, face masks can be removed when driving alone or with members of the same family, or in a private residence. However, face masks are still required when gathering indoors, entering private businesses, or in a closed space. The relaxed face mask requirements in Belize follow on the heels of allowing the fully vaccinated to enter Belize without testing for COVID-19.
Beyond families with kids under 12 years also being waived of their entry test requirement, Spring Break vacationers can relish skipping testing if fully vaccinated, for one less expense in Belize. And with the return of demand steadily increasing as Belize emerges from its last COVID wave with arrival numbers to match, the Government of Belize is also committed to ensuring any possible bottlenecks are managed efficiently; the Director of the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) even hinted Belize may soon need a larger airport with the increasing volume of arrivals and the size of the airport.
While the BTB works hard to expand flight routes regionally and even to Europe, North Americans can benefit from several newly-announced flight routes into Belize, particularly through low-cost carriers like Frontier Airlines and Alaska Airlines. When visiting Belize, be sure to follow along with the most recent travel requirements by the Belize Tourism Board here, which includes purchasing mandatory travel insurance for US$18 per person.
