About BTF
Belize Tourism Futures is an initiative dedicated to advancing tourism innovation in Belize. Led by Lorenzo Gonzalez, it supports tourism entrepreneurs and professionals by sharing insights, practical skills, and fresh ideas through podcasts and blogs. The goal is to build a more resilient, sustainable, and creative tourism sector in a fast-changing global landscape.
Since launching in 2024, the initiative has reached thousands of people across Belize and beyond through its webinars and social media content. It has been featured in national news and praised by participants—from tour guides to business owners—for offering accessible, high-quality learning opportunities that many say they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford or find time to attend.
This initiative is made possible through support from Emergent Ventures and Belize Adventure. Explore the 2025 podcast lineup.
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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