I sit down with Ruhiel Trejo, a brand, event, and destination experience consultant who previously worked with Digi, Bowen & Bowen, and the Belize Tourism Board, to discuss how hotels and tour operators can better market themselves and stand out in an increasingly competitive tourism industry.
We discuss why tourism businesses should focus on what makes them unique rather than trying to appeal to everyone, how branding and word of mouth influence visitors, and why public relations and storytelling deserve more attention alongside digital marketing.
Ruhiel also shares lessons from working with major Belizean brands, including Belikin, and his experience promoting Belize internationally through the BTB. We explore how smaller tourism businesses can make better use of marketing channels, reach niche audiences, and build stronger relationships with visitors.
Hope you enjoy this conversation, and please like and share to keep these episodes coming.
Presented by BELTRAIDE, Belize’s national economic development agency.
Belize Tourism Futures S3E5 Transcript
Below is a lightly edited transcript of the conversation for those who prefer to read.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: Hello everyone, and welcome to Belize Tourism Futures. Today I’m joined by Ruhiel Trejo, a brand, event, and destination experience consultant based in Belize. Welcome, Ruhiel.
Ruhiel Trejo: Hi, thank you for having me.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: If a hotel or tour operator came to you and said they don’t feel like they’re standing out in the marketplace, what would be three things you’d tell them to work on?
Ruhiel Trejo: From my experience with BTB and other brands, I’d suggest three things.
First, know your target audience. Sometimes hotels in Belize want to target everyone, and they shouldn’t.
Second, create a community. Once you create a community of people who want to be part of your brand, they become advocates for it. Through word of mouth, social media, or conversations with friends, they’ll recommend your business because they feel connected to it.
And third, communicate that consistently. It’s not only about what you promote through social media or advertising. When guests arrive at your resort, whether they’re interacting with the front desk or requesting something simple or extravagant, you need to deliver the experience you’ve promised.
Give them 100%, and then add another 10%. Make them feel welcome.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: Can you explain a little more about what you mean by making people feel part of a community?
Ruhiel Trejo: Think about healthcare or skincare brands. Some focus on sustainability, vegan products, or particular lifestyles. Those values bring together people who think alike and want to be part of that community.
Tourism businesses can do something similar.
Let’s say you have a resort that focuses on culture and food. If that’s what you pride yourself on, you can build a community of food lovers who want to learn about your destination and experience its cuisine.
Many visitors do extensive research before coming to Belize. That’s why it’s important to have information available about your business and what makes it different.
I also think we need to return to publishing blogs and stories on our websites, especially now that visitors are using AI to research destinations.
Instead of simply telling people to come to Belize, explain why they should come to your particular destination and what makes the experience special.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: So essentially, tourism operators and resorts should double down on what makes them unique and promote that more deeply rather than just promoting Belize broadly?
Ruhiel Trejo: Exactly.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: What do you see tourism businesses in Belize overlooking when it comes to marketing?
Ruhiel Trejo: I think they focus too much on digital marketing and getting immediate results.
Everyone wants to measure everything through KPIs. They want clicks, views, and other measurable results. But those numbers don’t necessarily translate into people booking a trip or visiting your business.
We need to focus more on building communities and relationships. Sometimes those results take four or five years to become apparent, especially when you’re trying to get people to return.
I also think we need to put more effort into public relations and communicating what makes different destinations in Belize special.
For example, when people search for Belize, they often see San Pedro first. But we also have places like Cayo and Hopkins, which offer completely different experiences.
Some destinations are facing challenges with high prices, sargassum, and visitor perceptions. We need to make sure those perceptions don’t define the entire country.
That’s why we need to promote the different experiences available throughout Belize.
When I was working on international public relations, writers and documentary producers often wanted to focus on one particular story.
Instead of always promoting the reef and rainforest together, we should ask what else exists between those two experiences.
People want stories. They want to return home and say they had an Anthony Bourdain-type experience in Belize.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: You’ve mentioned public relations a few times. For someone who doesn’t have a marketing background, what exactly do you mean when you say tourism operators should be doing more PR?
Ruhiel Trejo: For me, PR is about telling stories.
In Belize, some people think public relations means making a donation, taking a photograph, or giving a speech.
But it goes much further than that.
It’s about telling stories through digital media, magazines, newspapers, and other platforms that connect with specific audiences.
Social media is accessible to everyone. But niche publications can help you reach people with particular interests, especially visitors who are willing to spend more on the experiences they value.
Think about diving magazines, food magazines, or publications covering farm-to-table and sea-to-table experiences.
If your resort has a farm-to-table restaurant, don’t just say you offer farm-to-table dining.
Tell the story of the person picking the tomatoes, the person preparing the food, and the server who is supporting their family through that work.
Those stories help people understand that they’re not visiting a generic brand. They’re visiting a place with real people, real stories, and livelihoods that depend on tourism.
That emotional connection can make people want to return.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: So you’re recommending that businesses focus more on niche experiences and promote those stories. Which marketing channels would you recommend?
Ruhiel Trejo: I would start with content creators.
I make a distinction between influencers and content creators. Influencers often focus on clicks and views, while content creators focus on developing content and building communities around particular interests.
For example, you might work with someone who specializes in cultural experiences or sustainable scuba diving.
When I was at BTB, we organized Beyond Blue, a diving initiative focused on sustainability.
We brought in writers and content creators who specialized in marine conservation and sustainability.
They didn’t just come to Belize to dive. They created stories and videos about what Belize is doing to protect its reefs, restore coral, and support conservation.
They learned about places like Hol Chan and how areas traditionally used for fishing became protected to help sustain marine resources.
Those are the stories we should be telling.
I’m also working on experiences in Sarteneja and helping the community tell its story.
Sarteneja is one of Belize’s major fishing villages, but it doesn’t get the attention it deserves. There’s much more to its fishing heritage than just lobster and conch.
We need to help communities communicate those stories, including how their livelihoods connect to sustainability.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: You’ve worked at Bowen & Bowen, the Belize Tourism Board, and now as an independent consultant. Looking back, which experience has most shaped how you approach your work today?
Ruhiel Trejo: I would say it started at Bowen & Bowen.
When I worked with international brands like Landshark and Guinness, those brands already had established identities and communities. My role was mainly to market them within Belize.
But when I started working on the Belikin brand, I had an opportunity to explore its connection to Belizean culture and heritage.
I started connecting with people like chef Sean Kuylen, musicians, drummers, and other cultural figures.
That helped me understand how a brand can connect with experiences, culture, and the people behind them.
I tried to bring those ideas into the events we organized for Belikin.
When I moved to BTB and took on international PR and branding, I brought that approach with me.
I started focusing on the unique stories Belize could tell to international audiences.
The scuba diving initiative was one example. Interestingly, I had never scuba dived before working on that project.
I did all the research and helped organize the initiative. After we launched it, I finally took diving lessons myself.
That’s when I understood why people spend so much money to visit Belize and experience the reef.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: I think that’s an important point. If you’re working in marketing or branding, you need to understand the product you’re selling.
I always encourage Belizeans working in tourism to experience the products they’re promoting.
For example, if you’re a server at a resort, you should have the opportunity to try the dishes and wines you’re recommending to guests.
And I think managers have a responsibility to provide those opportunities so their staff can better understand and sell the experience.
People often think branding is just a logo or a colour scheme. How would you explain what branding really means for a business?
Ruhiel Trejo: Throughout my career at Digi, Bowen & Bowen, and BTB, I’ve experienced branding in different ways.
At Digi, it was largely about a product being sold.
At Bowen & Bowen, I learned how a product can have culture and heritage behind it.
At BTB, I learned that the brand wasn’t necessarily a physical product. It was about the people, the experiences, and the stories that make Belize what it is.
A brand isn’t just a logo or a colour. It’s a way of thinking that should extend throughout the organization.
When someone joins BTB, for example, they need to understand what the organization represents and how that connects to everything they do.
Think about Coca-Cola or Belikin.
Coca-Cola is associated with refreshment, happiness, and fun. Belikin is closely connected to Belizean culture, celebrations, and togetherness.
Those associations are supported by the values or pillars behind the brands.
For my own work, I focus on four pillars: community, storytelling, connection, and awareness, including conservation.
Those values guide the events, branding projects, and experiences I create.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: What role does branding play in getting people to recommend a business?
Ruhiel Trejo: It plays a major role because people remember the experience they have with a brand.
Let’s say you’re a tour operator offering zip-lining.
Your brand might focus on adventure and exploration, but also safety and community.
When someone recommends your business, they might not specifically mention safety, but they know they felt safe while having an adventurous experience.
The same goes for restaurants and hotels.
If your food is consistently good, your service is excellent, and your staff make people feel welcome, those things become part of your brand.
People will talk about those experiences and recommend your business to others.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: A lot of hotels in Belize promise the same things when they’re marketing themselves. They don’t always do a good job of differentiating themselves.
Why do you think this is the case, and what can they do to improve?
Ruhiel Trejo: I think a lot of it comes down to wanting immediate results.
Businesses have short-term targets. They need to generate revenue, meet KPIs, and attract bookings.
But they also need long-term goals.
When I worked at BTB, we had annual objectives, but we also worked toward a five-year plan involving the ministry and the broader tourism sector.
Smaller businesses should think in a similar way.
Your marketing goals shouldn’t be separate from what your servers, kitchen staff, or other employees are trying to accomplish.
Maybe your restaurant wants to become known for having excellent drinks or outstanding service. Those smaller goals can contribute to your overall brand.
You can also differentiate yourself through seemingly simple things.
Maybe you become known as the hotel with the most comfortable pillows or the best bedsheets.
Those things might sound insignificant, but they’re the details people remember and talk about.
Sometimes it’s the small parts of an experience that make a brand stand out.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: What’s something you learned at Digicel that you wish more tourism businesses understood about marketing?
Ruhiel Trejo: I was at Digicel during its transition to Digi and Digi National Telecoms.
During that time, I saw how the company developed different brands and services for different audiences.
For example, DigiTV and DigiBusiness serve different markets. Even within mobile services, prepaid and postpaid customers have different needs.
Tourism businesses can learn from that approach.
A resort might offer excellent food, horseback riding, and cultural experiences, but those activities don’t necessarily appeal to the same people.
Instead of marketing everything to tourists as one large group, businesses can target specific audiences based on the experiences they’re interested in.
I was looking at Chaa Creek as an example. They have different accommodations and experiences that appeal to different visitors, including luxury travellers and people interested in more environmentally focused experiences.
That approach allows a business to reach different audiences without treating every visitor the same.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: And what’s something you learned at Bowen & Bowen that you wish more tourism businesses understood?
Ruhiel Trejo: The importance of culture and heritage.
Belize has so much more to offer than the Blue Hole and the reef.
When visitors arrive in Belize, the first thing they encounter isn’t necessarily a landmark. It’s people.
It’s the person who picks them up at the airport, the person who welcomes them to the hotel, and the person who handles their booking.
Those interactions are incredibly important.
We need to invest more in our people and help them understand how to communicate, welcome guests, and make visitors feel included in the community.
When people feel like family, they want to return.
That’s something I learned through Belikin as well. Whenever Belikin organizes an event, the goal is to make everyone feel like they’re part of a family.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: You mentioned Belikin’s work with chef Sean Kuylen and the connection between food and culture.
Can you tell me a little more about that project and its success?
Ruhiel Trejo: Mek Wi Talk Food with Sean Kuylen was developed by a brand coordinator before me.
When I took over the brand, I inherited the project, and when I left, I passed it on to the next person.
I think it’s a very good example of public relations and storytelling.
Belikin is closely connected to Belizean heritage and culture, and Mek Wi Talk Food reflects that.
The format is somewhat similar to what Anthony Bourdain did.
They visit communities, sit down with people, and have conversations about their lives, their experiences, and their culture.
The focus isn’t on promoting Belikin directly. Sometimes the brand isn’t even mentioned.
Instead, people share their stories, and eventually everyone sits down to enjoy a meal together.
One episode I remember was in Sarteneja, where they featured fish tea, a traditional fish soup from northern Belize.
It brought back memories for people who grew up eating that dish or remembered their grandparents preparing it.
That sense of nostalgia is powerful.
I also appreciate how the series has evolved beyond traditional foods to include more modern experiences that resonate with millennials and Gen Z.
The brand is adapting to changing audiences without abandoning its cultural identity.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: Based on your experience, what’s an untapped opportunity for resorts or tour operators to collaborate with BTB that they might not know about?
Ruhiel Trejo: When I worked at BTB, we had an initiative called What’s New.
Every three months, I would contact resorts and tourism businesses to find out what was new.
It could be a new experience, a renovation, a special offering, or something happening at their property.
We would collect that information and share it with our international PR contacts in markets like the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Germany, and France.
We also used that information at trade shows, on our website, and across social media.
For example, when BTB representatives attended a trade show, they could tell travel partners about something new happening at a property like The Lodge at Jaguar Reef or Turtle Inn.
Unfortunately, it was sometimes difficult to get businesses to send us their information.
We often had to research their websites or Facebook pages ourselves.
But if operators shared their updates with BTB, they could potentially benefit from those promotional opportunities at no additional cost.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: So you’d recommend that tourism businesses keep an updated record of what’s happening at their resort and share that information with BTB, either when requested or proactively?
Ruhiel Trejo: Yes.
They can respond whenever BTB requests information, but they can also send updates to info@belizetourismboard.org.
That’s a general email address that reaches different people within the organization.
It’s an opportunity for businesses to share what they’re doing and potentially have their stories promoted through BTB’s different channels.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: We talked earlier about marketing channels. If a tourism business owner had limited time and money and had to choose which marketing channel to focus on, which would you recommend prioritizing now, and which should they leave for later?
Ruhiel Trejo: For the short term, I would recommend digital marketing.
Smaller businesses need bookings and revenue, so it makes sense to use channels that can deliver more immediate results.
But they shouldn’t neglect their longer-term marketing strategy.
They should also think about building relationships with content creators, getting featured in niche magazines or newspapers, and finding other ways to tell their stories.
Maybe your goal is to get featured in a particular magazine or work with a specific content creator within the next four or five years.
That’s something you can gradually work toward.
Freelance travel writers can also be valuable because they may be able to develop several different stories about your destination and pitch them to different publications.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: And if they had to choose a specific digital platform, which would you recommend?
Ruhiel Trejo: I think Meta is probably the best place to start right now, particularly Facebook and Instagram.
The advantage is that you can reach different audiences through those platforms.
Facebook tends to have older users who might be interested in longer videos and more detailed content.
Instagram generally attracts younger audiences who respond to shorter videos and more immediate visual content.
Businesses can adjust their advertising and content based on the audience they want to reach.
For the longer term, it’s not necessarily about moving to another platform.
It’s about identifying the content creators and communities that connect with your brand and finding ways to work with them.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: I remember working at Chaa Creek many years ago when you donated a logo for the Eco Kids Camp, which is a free summer camp for children.
We were both young, although you were much younger than I was.
I remember being really impressed with the logo and the work you did.
So, for old times’ sake, I’m curious: what originally interested you in design, and how has that helped you develop your career in branding and marketing?
Ruhiel Trejo: I’ve been interested in design since I was young.
When I was in high school at SJCC, I would look through magazines like Spin and Color and imagine having my own designs featured in them.
When I went to sixth form, I studied commercial art. We learned sculpting, pottery, printmaking, drawing, and painting.
I think that was around the time I was asked to design the Eco Kids Camp logo.
I actually drew that logo by hand with a pen, took a photograph of it, and brought it into Photoshop.
The inspiration came from Where the Wild Things Are, which was popular at the time, along with the music by Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
There was a particular indie design style at the time, and a lot of things were created by hand.
It’s interesting because now, with AI becoming more common, we’re seeing some brands return to those handmade styles.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: That logo definitely stood out, and I’ve enjoyed following your career and seeing how your work has developed since then.
If someone wanted to get in touch with you or work with you, where can they reach you?
Ruhiel Trejo: They can email me at hello.ruhiel@gmail.com or contact me on WhatsApp at 614-4779.
I’m available for calls and conversations. We can sit down, talk about what they need, and see where we can go from there.
Lorenzo Gonzalez: My guest today has been Ruhiel Trejo. Ruhiel, thank you for joining Belize Tourism Futures.
Ruhiel Trejo: Thank you, Lorenzo. Have a good day.
