Belize Tourism Board Head Steps Down

Laura Frampton, director of tourism at the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), resigned for “personal reasons” Wednesday amid local allegations of significant financial difficulties at the government tourism agency.

The resignation of Frampton, who is the daughter of Manuel Esquivel, a former prime minister of Belize, was announced Wednesday in a BTB statement that recognized her “significant contributions” and “genuine concern for the industry and fiscal accountability” during her two years in the position. Javier Paredez, currently BTB’s director of revenue collection will serve as interim director, according to the statement.

However multiple local media reports say Frampton, who is frequently referred to in Belize by the surname Esquivel-Frampton, stepped down following allegations from BTB executive management team members that her leadership culminated in a multi-million dollar deficit at the agency.

The reports say Frampton’s recent proposal of “across the board budget cuts” at BTB last week led seven management team members to request a meeting with tourism minister Manuel Heredia “to outline several major concerns.” The group subsequently expressed “no confidence” in Frampton’s leadership according to a Channel5Belize.com report.

While Frampton cited personal reasons for her departure, it is notable that she stepped down from a two-year tenure distinguished by continued growth in tourist arrivals, including a strong start this year. Local media also observed that Frampton is the third tourism director to resign since 2008, a period during which BTB has had three people serve as chairman and now seeks a fourth.

Source: Travel Pulse, http://www.travelpulse.com/news/destinations/belize-tourism-board-head-steps-down.html