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Welcome to Belize Tourism Futures, a groundbreaking initiative supporting tourism innovation in Belize. Spearheaded by Lorenzo Gonzalez, we aim to enhance skills, foster sustainability, and inspire creative thinking among tourism professionals in Belize through engaging webinars, insightful podcasts, and informative blogs covering key aspects of travel and tourism.
Origin Story
For Lorenzo, Belize Tourism Futures signifies a strategic evolution from solely marketing Belize as a tourist destination to actively improving its tourism services and products. The initiative is driven by his lifelong ambition to stimulate economic growth in Belize through tourism. It has received backing from an Emergent Ventures grant by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and is delivered in partnership with Belizing and The Lodge at Chaa Creek.
Through a series of webinars, supplemented by podcasts and blogs, on topics crucial to the evolving dynamics of travel and tourism worldwide, BTF aims to unlock tourism innovation in Belize. Designed to empower tourism professionals with cutting-edge skills and insights, the goal is to enhance their ability to act as catalysts for change, refining Belize's appeal as a leading travel destination. This initiative will ensure the tourism industry's growth is sustainable, innovative, and closely aligned with Belize's natural and cultural heritage.
About Lorenzo Gonzalez
Lorenzo Gonzalez is an economic development professional dedicated to fostering inclusive growth. Influenced by witnessing mass government layoffs in his community during childhood, he began his career in tourism to diversify Belize's economy and reduce the country’s overreliance on government jobs.
Recognizing the industry’s low barrier to entry and broad impact, Lorenzo chose tourism as a strategic medium for Belize’s economic and societal advancement. Beyond mere economic benefits, he sees tourism as a vehicle to expose individuals to diverse perspectives and backgrounds to promote 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 serves as a Senior Program Coordinator at Digital Main Street, promoting digital growth in Canadian small businesses to boost local economies and communities. 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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