By Zoila Palma: The Ministry of Immigration says that arrivals to Belize over the Easter weekend rose in 2026.
Official data from the Ministry of Immigration, Governance and Labour showed a shift in travel patterns toward the western land border and a sharp increase in air arrivals.
Total arrivals reached 24,520 in 2026, up from 23,240 recorded over the Easter period in 2025, an increase of 5.5 percent.
The Philip Goldson International Airport recorded the largest gain among all entry points, with arrivals rising to 8,735 from 6,366 a year earlier, a 37 percent increase that signals stronger tourism inflows and growing reliance on air travel.
At land borders, the data shows diverging trends:
Arrivals at the western border in Benque Viejo del Carmen, along the Guatemala border, climbed to 7,050 in 2026 from 5,490 in 2025, an increase of 28.4 percent.
Meanwhile, the northern border at Corozal, which connects Belize to Mexico, recorded a decline to 8,642 from 11,330, a drop of 23.7 percent.
Combined land border crossings at the northern and western points fell slightly to 15,692 in 2026 from 16,820 in 2025, indicating a modest reduction in overland travel despite the surge in western border traffic.
The Ministry says that these figures show a shift in regional movement patterns, with fewer crossings through Mexico and increased traffic through Guatemala during the holiday period.
Travel purpose data shows that returning residents remained the largest category of arrivals, with 13,392 recorded in 2026 compared to 14,336 in 2025.
Tourist arrivals rose significantly to 10,333 from 8,295, an increase of 24.6 percent.
Other categories, including business, employment and official travel, remained comparatively small but recorded slight increases in 2026.
The post Easter travel shift: More Belizeans visited Guatemala, fewer crossed into Mexico appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: The Ministry of Immigration says that arrivals to Belize over the Easter weekend rose in 2026. Official data from the Ministry of Immigration, Governance and Labour showed a shift in travel patterns toward the western land border and a sharp increase in air arrivals. Total arrivals reached 24,520 in 2026, up from
The post Easter travel shift: More Belizeans visited Guatemala, fewer crossed into Mexico appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
