Enhance tourism and cultural heritage with up to BZD $30,000 in funding.
SAIB Tourism Grants
The SAIB Tourism Grants empower Belizean hospitality businesses to innovate sustainably while preserving Belize’s rich heritage and natural beauty.
Designed for all kinds of overnight accommodations and culinary endeavours, these grants fund projects like solar-powered infrastructure, sustainable water- and waste management, or any other practice that contributes to a sustainable and inclusive business operation.
Whether upgrading facilities, or enhancing visitor sustainability practices, apply now to transform your vision into a thriving, sustainable tourism enterprise!
UPDATE:
Tourism Applications are now closed. All applicant that applied before July 18th are now under review of te SAIB Grant Committee.
How to apply explainer!
Check our video and learn how to apply from A to Z.
Who can apply?
Funding coverage
You can only apply when you're at least 12 month in business.
CATEGORY A
All forms of paying overnight accommodation, including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, boutique inns, eco-lodges, and similar lodging enterprises.
Ownership requirements
25% Belizean equity if 51%+ staff are Belizean nationals; otherwise 51% Belizean
CATEGORY B
Standalone restaurants, food service establishments, and culinary experience enterprises.
Ownership requirements
51% Belizean equity
Minimum Grant BZ$ 14.000 , Max Grant: BZ$30,000
Micro, Small and Medium MSMEs:
Your contribution: 20% ( 10% cash, 10% in-kind)
Note that labour, materials, and existing equipment used directly in your plan may count toward the 20% match, at verified depreciated market value, subject to BTB approval.
Note: The entire Counterpart contribution from the MSME can also be in cash.
MSME DEFINITION
MICRO. <10 employees <200K annual sales
SMALL. 10-49 employees. 200K - 6 mio annual sales
MEDIUM. 50-300 employees 6 - 30 mio annual sales
Required documents
In addition to the BCCAR documents, you should provide at least one of the following:
Tax Identification Number (TIN) from Belize Tax Services
Social Security Board (SSB) registration
Trade license from the relevant municipality or city/town council
Applicable sector license: hotel license, food handlers certificate, liquor license, or equivalent
Eligible Projects
The SAIB Grants fund operational and guest-experience improvements, infrastructure upgrades, and sustainability investments for qualifying lodging and gastronomic enterprises. Eligible projects include physical improvements to rooms, common areas, and guest-facing facilities, as well as the implementation of energy efficiency and water conservation systems to reduce environmental impact.
Examples of eligible investments include upgrading kitchen and dining infrastructure, installing accessibility features like ramps and signage, setting up digital booking infrastructure, channel management tools, or property management systems (PMS), and obtaining recognized sustainability or eco-certifications (such as Green Globe or Rainforest Alliance).
Grants also support technical assistance, including hospitality training, culinary skills development, and food safety or food handlers certifications that are directly linked to the business plan.
For gastronomic establishments, priority is given to projects that feature an authentic Belizean culinary experience by utilizing local ingredients and traditional dishes to appeal to the international travel trade.
All projects must demonstrate market readiness with an existing or near-ready bookable product, aligning with the program's objective to expand the portfolio of compelling guest experiences available to tour operators, destination management companies (DMCs), and visitors
FAQ
For hands-on support with your SAIB Tourism Grant application, connect with our helpdesk via 674-7268 (67 GRANT) or saib@btb.gov.bz. Don’t navigate the process alone—your field officer is here to ensure your success!
