About Belize Tourism Futures
Belize Tourism Futures focuses on the real, day-to-day factors that shape tourism outcomes in Belize. Founded and led by Lorenzo Gonzalez, the initiative works to raise standards, strengthen skills, and support better decision-making across the tourism sector. Through video podcasts, webinars, and written analysis, BTF shares clear, usable insights drawn from local experience, data, and global best practices to help tourism professionals build stronger products and operate more effectively.
Since launching in 2024, BTF has reached thousands of people across Belize and beyond. It has been featured in national media and is widely valued by tourism professionals for offering accessible, high-quality learning that people can realistically apply in their work. The long-term goal is to support a more resilient, creative, and well-coordinated tourism system, one prepared for a fast-changing global landscape.
Belize Tourism Futures is made possible through the support of Emergent Ventures and Belize Adventure. The podcast series is presented in partnership with BELTRAIDE, Belize’s national economic development agency.
About Lorenzo Gonzalez
Lorenzo is an economic development professional dedicated to fostering inclusive growth. Growing up in Belize, he saw how communities, including his own, were vulnerable due to the country’s heavy reliance on government jobs—a dependence made clear during the mass layoffs of December 1995. This experience motivated him to turn to tourism as a way to diversify the economy and create opportunities beyond government employment.
Tourism’s low barrier to entry and broad impact led Lorenzo to see it as a strategic path for Belize’s economic and social progress. He views the industry as more than an economic driver. It is also a way to connect people to diverse perspectives and foster openness and tolerance.
In 2023, his commitment to using tourism as a tool for economic development in Belize was acknowledged with an Emergent Ventures grant by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.
Lorenzo currently resides in Toronto, where he works in entrepreneurship and small business development. He maintains his ties to Belize through a popular travel website and consulting services. His educational background includes business school in Belize and a Master’s degree in Economic Development and Innovation from the University of Waterloo.
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