While the Central American nation bordering Mexico to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the east is home to a permanent population of just 410,000 people, Belize recorded the same number of international arrivals in 2023.
Because Belize is not as popular with U.S. beachgoers as neighboring Mexico, most who come to the country known for natural wonders like its barrier reef and Great Blue Hole arrive on cruise lines like Carnival. (CCL) and real caribbean (RCL) or as part of a larger tour of the Caribbean.
Even so, tourism to the country increased almost 30% between 2023 and 2024.
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“Travelers are advised to exercise caution”: US State Department
In a revised travel advisory it published in late December, the US State Department maintained Belize's classification at level two of “exercise increased caution” but reiterated the need to remain vigilant due to elevated crime levels.
“Due to the high level of crime, travelers are advised to use caution when traveling to the south side of Belize City,” the updated advisory reads. “Local police lack resources and training to respond effectively to serious crimes. Most crimes remain unsolved and unprosecuted.”
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The rating, which ranks second in a four-tier system in which the highest is reserved for authoritarian governments and war zones, puts Belize in the same category as nearby Mexico and European countries such as Germany and France, in the last two cases due to the risk of terrorist attacks in their capitals.
In the case of Belize, the rating is raised to level three of “reconsider travel” for Belize City. Most tourists who stay longer than a cruise stopover do not come to the capital but to resort towns like Placencia and San Ignacio.
Travel advisory: “This area does not overlap with typical tourist areas”
“Historically, much of the violent crime in Belize occurs on the south side of Belize City and is gang related,” the notice further reads. “This area (south of the Haulover Creek channel and continuing south to Fabers Road) does not overlap with typical tourist areas.”
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As part of the periodic reviews of commonly visited nations that occur each month and at the end of the year in particular, the State Department also issued a new advisory for Belize's western neighbor: the Central American nation Guatemala.
In the case of the latter, the renewed advisory focuses on specific areas that “have problems with gangs, robberies, vehicle thefts, drug trafficking and violence.” The nation has a higher “reconsider travel” rating due to crime rates and its position as a transit route for drug traffickers moving from Central America north to the United States.
It is also significantly more popular as a cruise stopover than as a stand-alone destination; Most international arrivals come for a short visit through the port of Puerto Quetzal.
“Local authorities may not always respond well to serious crime, resulting in low arrest and conviction rates,” the travel advisory reads. “Although tourists are not typically targeted, they can still be victims of opportunistic crime.”
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