Frank in Laguna and PG... helping my women's group and TEA!

July 11 and 12, 2011

Frank was here in Belize for a short time, but his goal was to get a lot accomplished. I think he did well for the short time he had here. He got pictures and interviews he needed. I was grateful he also came to help my women’s group. He helped them create a website and  helped the TEA guest house with brochures… which will hopefully help with tourism in Laguna!

 

Here is a little information from the TEA official website….www.southernbelize.com/tea.html

TOLEDO ECOTOURISM ASSOCIATION

The TEA guesthouses are designed to give both tourists and villagers personal privacy while allowing a respectful cultural exchange. The location of the guesthouses vary in each village - some are in the center, while others are on the outskirts. Accommodations are simple and clean, built of local wood and covered with a traditional thatch roof. Eight bunkbeds with mattresses and mosquito netting, along with blankets and towels are provided. Primitive, private outdoor showers (usually a bucket and cup) and latrines are provided. Be prepared to rough it.

The objective of the T. E. A. is to share the benefits of tourism as widely as possible throughout each participating village. Guides, food providers, and entertainers are rotated among seven to nine families in each village.

The Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary are elected for each T.E.A. village every two years. In addition, members vote on a board which oversees the running of the program, ensuring guesthouses maintain certain standards and that tourism is distributed as fairly as possible among the villages.

Ten different villages participate in the Toledo Ecotourism Association program:

Laguna Blue Creek Pueblo Viejo San Jose Barranco

San Miguel San Antonio San Pedro Columbia Santa Elena/Santa Cruz

Direct contact information:

Toledo Eco-tourism Association P.O. Box 157 Punta Gorda, Belize Tel: 501-722-2096 Fax: 501-722-2199 Email: ttea@btl.net

Disclaimer This website expresses the views of Grace Boswell, who is entirely responsible for its content. It does not express the views of the United States government, the Belize government, the Peace Corps or any other institutions named or linked to on these pages.