When is Peak Tourism Season in Belize and what does that mean?

Peak Season for tourism in Belize falls over the Christmas and Easter holidays – many resorts also list rates for Peak Season simply as Holiday Rates. The three weeks surrounding Christmas and the 10 days surrounding Easter tend to be the busiest travel times of the year for both our foreign and national tourists because many people have several days off from work during these holidays and go on vacation then. Nearly every Belize hotel and resort will sell-out completely over these holidays, and as such, accommodation rates are the highest at these times of years. Another reason that rates are so high during these holidays is that Belize labour law requires that employees working the official bank holidays surrounding Christmas and Easter be paid premium rates (up to 2.5 the regular daily wage) and this cost gets passed on to the traveller in the form of Peak Season rates.

The main reason to travel in Belize during the Christmas or Easter holidays is that this may be when you have the most time off for a vacation. And certainly, a tropical Christmas can be a fun family experience and a departure from the norm. Likewise, non-Christians may enjoy getting away from the Christmas fanfare in their home countries (do note though, that since most Belizean’s practice some form of Christianity, there will be Christmas celebrations here as well, but with a Belizean twist).

On the other hand, traveling to Belize during Peak Season does have clear disadvantages. You will not only encounter the highest rates for your Belize vacation during Peak Season, but also the highest number of people traveling in the country. The implication is that Hotels and resorts get booked up months in advance and tours much be carefully coordinated to accommodate maximum group sizes. As such, it is essential to book your lodgings and tours in advance if you plan to travel in Belize over Peak Season.

Resort and tour operators must also work around the fact that many parts of the country will shut down over these periods – and the traveller should bear this in mind as well. The official bank holidays over Christmas are December 25 and 26 and January 1 (though December 24 and 31 are also party days that may as well be official holidays), and the Easter holidays are the Friday, Saturday, and Monday surrounding Easter Sunday. All public offices and many businesses including restaurants and some tourism attractions will be closed on these days and public transportation will be limited. The exception will be the resorts and tour operators which will be operating at ramming speed to accommodate all the extra travellers.

OUR BIASED SUMMARY: If you can plan your Belize Vacation around the Christmas and Easter Holidays, you will save money and enjoy more flexibility when booking your hotels and tours. That’s about all we have to say about this.