Belize is in the interesting position of being one of the global leaders in eco-tourism.  Much of the Belizean economy is dependent on tourism dollars.   As such the government is put in the precarious position of balancing current development against the potential damage  development can have to the environment.  It’s a classic case of the goose that laid the golden egg; Belize must find ways to sustainably exploit its  rich natural heritage while not ruining the very thing that tourists pay to see–a natural paradise.  Current studies make this easier as the value of protection is quantified.

Emily of the World Resources Institute, an environmental think-tank, put some  figures on the value of tourism, recreation, fisheries and shoreline protection in Belize. It was an impressive $395m to $559m. The entire economy was worth about $1.3 billion in 2007. These figures, she thinks, have allowed environmentalists to protect Belize’s threatened mangrove forests better.

For a full look at the Emily Cooper’s report check out : Belize’s Coastal Capital: The Economic Contribution of Belize’s Coral Reefs and Mangroves

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