I worked for several years at the BELIZE TOURISM BOARD. I always appreciated the fact that I had the opportunity to read travelers trip reports from this forum.

We did our best to survey visitors at the airport, as far as I know the board still does. We do care to know as much if a visitor had a great time, as we do, when they didn't. Travels reports are very important, as we use that information to alert Government and others entities of the impression that visitors have when they visit. From there we can access how we can improve. The main goal is to have visitors return and expend their currency here year after year.

As for this trip report, the traveler had an eye opening to our daily routine and we can derive how a first impression can make us or break us.

We often advertised San Pedro as a diverse, peaceful, democracy with the best diving in the world, with restaurants that serve great food. In recent years, the unspoiled and abundant fauna/flora of this tiny country on the crossroads between Latin America and the Caribbean has become a favorite eco-tourist destination. But we need to point out there is another San Pedro, marked by overdevelopment, with inadequate technology, health care and high unemployment.

Don't try to add comments to diminish the value of this traveler's trip report and let all get into positive cyber type mode. It will be better to add realistic information that could help pursue the first time visitors to become recurring visitors to the beautiful Belize. I had to admit that recurring visitors more often that none has a tendency to overlook what a new visitor is currently experiencing.

FYI-The Belize City Departure tax for USA is set $36.50 per person.