In case you missed it, Belize’s Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE) is scheduled to reopen on August 15, 2020. The reopening of Belize’s tourism industry for leisure travel is split into five phases, with the first two already underway. The opening of the international airport will kick-off Belize’s third phase of re-opening, allowing for further travel relaxation and open entry for chartered flights, private aviation and limited re-opening of international leisure travel with approved hotels only.
Editor’s Note: Belize will now reopen its international airport on October 1, 2020. Learn more about the current travel advisory for Belize here.
Approved Hotels
When international leisure travel resumes on August 15, the opening of hotels will be done in a phased approach. The first grouping of hotels that will be allowed to open include properties that:
- Have achieved the Tourism Gold Standard Certificate of Recognition, and
- Provide full service to guests. This means that these hotels are able to provide all amenities, so as to contain the guest on the property, and minimize opportunities for guest interaction within the local community. These amenities include having transportation to offer pick-up/drop-off services from the airport; access to a restaurant on property; have a pool or access to beach front; and be able to provide isolated tours, limited to guests of the property only.
Passengers are therefore encouraged to book Gold Standard approved hotels. A list of the Gold Standard approved hotels will be available at www.travelbelize.org in the coming weeks.
Health requirements to enter Belize
The regulated visitor process consists of set rules of engagement every traveler must abide by to ensure the safety of both themselves and Belizeans. These include temperature checks, a negative COVID-19 test result (a PCR test taken within 72 hours of boarding the flight to Belize, or a rapid test upon arrival to the country), and other sanitizing processes. Transfers and activities while in Belize will be organized by your hotel.
Getting to Belize
At the reopening of the Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE), the following airlines will also resume service:
- Delta Airlines, Atlanta, GA to Belize – August 15
- United Airlines, Houston, TX to Belize – August 15
- American Airlines, Miami, FL to Belize – August 18
Other airlines such as WestJet, Sun Country and Air Canada will continue to fly to
Belize seasonally. These flights usually come once a week and are available in the Fall and Spring. However, Southwest Airlines will not return until 2021.
