Managing Director (Eurocaribe)

Q- Could you do a short explanation about your company?

Both Mike and I worked for United Fruit Company and after this company closed it’s operations in Belize, we started Eurocaribe Shipping Services. With my local knowledge and the expertise we had both acquired from working with a shipping company, it was a natural transition for us to get into the shipping business. We started as ship’s Agent for Seatrain Lines, the first line who introduced containerization of cargo to Belize. We expanded into cruise tourism and our Agency now represent both cargo and cruiselines .

Q- How much have you grown?

A- We have experienced substantial growth in both cargo and cruise shipping,for the former, we offer worldwide services from the Far East, Europe, Canada, Continental U.SA, the Caribbean, Central and South America.

We presently represent the majority of the cruiselines calling at the port of Belize. We have also reinvested into other tourist related services, like Belize’s finest waterfront restaurant ( Harbour View Restaurant) Michael Colin Gallery, (Duty Free fine jewels, watches, crystals and D’Argenta figurines.) Tour Belize is also another vertically integrated business related to cruise tourism, offering “a different approach for a wonderful experience in Belize”.

Q- The company is completely yours?

A- All our companies are family owned.

Q- What is the best of all your services?

A- Do you mean the most profitable, we find all our companies to be profitable, there is a saying, “the eye of the farmer fattens the calf” we are hands-on Managing Directors and we both love what we do. We have an excellent team of young intelligent and highly motivated Belizean staff, it’s a family affair.

Q- Do you think it would be better for you and Belize if passengers stay overnight?

A- Absolutely, more employment would be created, Belizeans would get a better chance to showcase their culture. We can see all the cruise tourism oriented businesses welcoming this. However it would have to be the perfect condition for the larger lines to remain overninght. Hopefully down the road, Belize could become a turnaround port. Once we have all the infrastructure in place to accommodate the capacity that these ships carry.

The good news is cruise tourism is here to stay. Carnival Corporation is building a deep water port. Belize has so much to offer to the cruiselines, it would be wonderful if we could have ships staying overnight.

Q- What is your marketing strategy for your companies?

A- We focus on attracting new ships to Belize, we market overseas by attending international trade shows and conventions. This gives us the opportunity to meet with the Executives of the various shipping companies.

Q- What do you think Belize needs in tourism?

A- Belize is blessed with exceptional natural resources, archaeological history, and a diverse mix of interesting, warm and friendly people. This combination makes Belize one of the most attractive places for tourism.

There is a need for sustained dialogue and public education on the benefits of the ecosystem, cultural and community tourism, this is an area that is relatively underdeveloped. Belize also needs enhancement of the City. This is a serious issue for the tourism sector and one that needs urgent attention.

Belizeans continue to rise to the occasion of providing a network of quality road, marine and air transportation which the industry requires. Due to the nature of Belize’s tourism product, which has to do with exploration, adventure and culture, appropriate road infrastructure is vitally important. There is a need for proper access roads to popular sites.

Q- Would you say Belize is on the rise?

A- We are indeed very optimistic about the future of Belize. There is clearly a great potential for businesses to develop in this “diamond in the rough”. Tourism related businesses will add to the quality of life economically and socially. We would like to see the type of development that would maximize the involvement of Belizeans into the sector.

Q- What makes you the proudest?

A- The fact that we are involved in an industry that have created so much employment for Belizeans, make us quite proud. That we had the foresight and the tenacity to invest and re-invest in this industry and that the growth of our businesses has been steady and is the result of careful planning, dedicated hard work, makes us the proudest.

Q- Do you have fiscal incentives for any of your companies?

A- We got fiscal incentives for our companies, these were limited..

Q- What message would you like to get across to investors

A- We would like to see investors come to Belize, our country offers a lot of incentives and welcome the genuine investors, however they must not take bread out of the mouth of the local Belizeans by getting involved in businesses that local Belizeans are quite capable of doing on their own, like tendering the cruiseship passengers from ship to shore, etc..