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Prime Minister John Briceño today discussed Belize’s investment in securing a new European air connection, following the agreement for Discover Airlines to begin seasonal service between Frankfurt, Germany, and Belize City. The Lufthansa Group’s leisure carrier has announced a December 16, 2027, start, with flights on Thursdays and Sundays through mid-April 2028. Tickets are expected to become available in mid-December this year. The agreement follows years of work by Belize’s tourism officials to secure a European carrier. Tourism Minister Anthony Mahler has put Belize’s financial commitment at approximately two million US dollars over three years, according to a report on the arrangement. That is roughly four million Belize dollars. Speaking with the media earlier today, Briceño addressed the investment and the opportunities the connection could bring.
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “It’s quite exciting, something exciting for Belize. Several governments have been trying to be able to get that goal, to be able to convince a carrier from Europe to be able to have a direct flight to Belize. Many instances Europeans want to come to Belize but because it takes them two days they decide to go elsewhere. So, it is going to create a lot of opportunities and new market for Belize, and it is a wonderful opportunity for us.”
Reporter: We know that we signed a two million US dollar warranty agreement with the airline. How do you feel about that specifically?
John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Well, that’s the rule of the game. They would not come if we don’t sign on to it. So what do we do? We either don’t have them come or we want them to come. We believe that by doing that, that once they start to come, I believe that a lot of the numbers of visitors to Belize will increase and then I believe at the end of the day all of us will benefit.”
The agreement was signed in Frankfurt yesterday, with Mahler and senior tourism officials attending. Mahler says developing the route took at least four years of negotiations and promotion. He estimates that visitor spending associated with the service could generate between five and ten million dollars in economic activity in a season. That remains a projection, with the actual return depending on passenger numbers and spending once the flights begin.
English (US) ·