About Us

The Toledo Tour Guide Association (TTGA) was established in 1997 by the Belize Tourism Board, to fulfil a requirement that every district should have a tour guide association; to provide services to licensed tour guides and to provide support to individuals apply for their license for the first time. The Association currently has 55 members from Punta Gorda and approximately two-thirds of the inland villages of Toledo; men and women representing all of the different cultural groups of the district. In addition to being generally licensed tour guides, its members have sought specializations in SCUBA, boat captains, bird watching and identification, fly-fishing, snorkeling, fish and coral identification, protected areas management, and cultural knowledge.

TTGA has been involved in a number of different projects and programmes, ongoing in Toledo, representing grassroots tourism stakeholders. The Association continues to provide support to its membership in order for them to continually meet their licensing requirements, such as arranging first aid / CPR courses and providing licensing recommendations. TTGA participated in public and stakeholders consultations held for the zoning and management planning process for the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve, and plans to become more actively involved in the management or marine resources and conservation efforts by continuing to partner with both the Toledo Association for Sustainable Tourism and Empowerment (TASTE) and the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE), two of the leading marine protected area managers in Toledo. In its continual work with TASTE, TTGA has been working on reaching out to neighbouring tour operators in Guatemala and Honduras in an effort to improve relations and provide much needed education on the laws of Belize with reference to the tourism industry and protected areas. The Association has also taken the initiative to partner with the tourism private sector to rehabilitate tourist sites damaged by Hurricane Iris (2001) and upgrade site infrastructure, in an effort to improve the visitor experience and continually attract new visitation.

Currently the work of the TTGA focuses on the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve, however the Association is working closely with other Toledo protected area managers, community organizations, NGOs, cultural organizations, and tourism stakeholders to develop and market Toledo District as a diverse adventure destination. Come to Toledo, we are happy to be your host!

Our Project