Belize to Host Caribbean Sustainable Tourism Conference in 2026

Belize has been selected to host the Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC 2026), scheduled for April 27–30, 2026, placing the country at the center of regional and international discussions on the future of sustainable tourism in the Caribbean.

The announcement was made earlier this year, and confirmed recently, by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), which indicated that tourism leaders, policymakers, development partners, and industry stakeholders from across the region will convene in Belize for the high-level forum. The conference will focus on advancing environmentally responsible, inclusive, and resilient tourism development across Caribbean destinations.  Speaking during SOTIC 2025 in Barbados, CTO’s Deputy Director of Sustainable Tourism, Narendra Ramgulam, said Belize was chosen based on its strong track record in eco-tourism and its commitment to regenerative tourism practices.

Narendra Ramgulam, Deputy Director of Sustainable Tourism, Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO):“We are going to welcome all our members, sustainable experts and so on to please come down to Belize in 2026. This year’s STC is going to be a bit more toolkit oriented. You’re going to have a lot more deeper discussions, the analysis and so on. You’ll get a lot more new material, new toolkits, new best practices because over time things change and of course you may see some new speakers as well emerge, new experts and so on in the field. So it’s a lot to look forward to. The theme I’m looking at for next year in particular is integrating those colors of development into sustainability. So for example, most times we focus on the most ubiquitous colors. We’ve heard conversations on the blue economy, we’ve heard conversations on the green economy. Blue meaning marine, marine spaces, oceans and so on. The green referring to land-based eco type attractions and so on. Orange economy is one that has propped up a lot recently, you know, speaking to culture, heritage, the arts and so on, music and the softer dimensions of development. And of course, you also have the purple economy, you know, which deals with human inclusion, diversity, it ties in nicely with sustainable development, goal number five and number eight. And of course, there are other colors of development that will be integrated as well. What makes the CTO unique and different is our integration of climate and putting climate on the front burner and integrating that into one of our pillars of sustainable development. And of course that pillar would be tied into the blue economy next year as well. So it’s a lot of treats for those persons who are, you know, sustainability fans, you know, you want to come down, you want to make sure and register, you want to be part of this event, you’re going to get a lot of new knowledge exchange, new toolkits, new best practices and so on that are going to flesh out and they’re going to be coming out of this event we have next year and of course new actionable tools to take back and actually start implementing and improving sustainable development in the Caribbean.”

Ramgulam explained that the Caribbean tourism sector is now moving beyond traditional sustainability models toward regeneration, aiming to leave destinations better than they were found. He noted that Belize’s leadership in conservation, community-based tourism, and environmental protection made it a natural choice to host the conference.  STC 2026 is expected to address both policy-level strategies and practical, on-the-ground solutions, including how Caribbean destinations are responding to climate change, safeguarding natural and cultural heritage, and strengthening tourism as a driver of sustainable economic growth.  Hosting the conference is also expected to shine a global spotlight on Belize, reinforcing the country’s reputation as a premier eco-tourism destination with its extensive marine reserves, rainforests, and rich archaeological heritage.  The CTO indicated that additional details, including the official venue, conference agenda, and registration information, will be released in the coming months.