CHETUMAL, Q. Roo — So far two investors have expressed interest in implementing at least three additional water routes between Chetumal and Belize, the Quintana Roo Port Authority (Apiqroo) confirmed.
Tourists will be able to go to Belize and return the same day. (Photo: eatrunsee.com)
Alicia Ricalde Magaña, director of Apiqroo, said that according to the approach that has been made in the meetings by the interested parties, the plan is to open a passenger, a cargo and a mixed route.
The talks are well advanced and it is hoped that this year, the flow of passengers at the Chetumal fiscal pier will materialize and reactivate.
“The project is very feasible, they just need to come with us so we can give them the contracts as clients of the Apiqroo”, she said.
Ricalde Magaña said that currently, only two Belizean passenger companies operate at the tax pier, whose schedules encourage tourists interested in traveling to stay at least two days in Belize to return to Chetumal.
The plan is to encourage tourists to go to San Pedro, Belize and return the same day to spend the night in the state capital.
Investors in Quintana Roo
Ligia Sierra Aguilar, president of the National Chamber of Commerce (Canaco), said that the interested parties are investors from Quintana Roo, although she said the names will be announced once the contract agreements with Apiqroo are reached.
“We hope that this agreement can materialize so we can achieve these new connections that will improve the influx of tourists between Belize and Chetumal on a daily basis.”
During 2016 a total of 11,889 people entered to Chetumal via Belize, which was less than the 12,337 that arrived in 2015.
The problem, according to Apiqroo and Canaco, is that many Belizeans prefer to travel by road because they are not allowed to transport goods by sea.
Source: http://sipse.com/
