In response to a cave tubing accident resulting in the death of a Carnival Cruise Lines passenger, the Belize Tourism Board and Belize's National Institute of Culture and History established mandatory protective policies for cave tubing in Belize, effective Oct. 15.
The Sept. 24 incident remains under investigation by authorities, including an examination of Bel-Cruise, the tour operator contracted by Carnival.
Belize Director of Tourism Tracy Panton said a cave tubing accident this serious had never before occurred in Belize. "We remain committed to being a safe and secure destination for travelers,” she said. “The BTB will work closely the NICH, the tour operator licensing committee and other relevant law enforcement agencies, not only to investigate the incident but also to enforce new and preventative policies."
The new policies include a stricter passenger-to-guide ratio of 8 to 1 for all cave tubing tour companies in Belize; additional signage posted at each site to inform participants of park rules and current water conditions and/or warnings; and required helmet use for each cave tubing participant, starting Jan. 1.
The NICH, which manages the Cave Branch Archeological Park, will be acquiring monitoring equipment for cave excursions that measure water currents and other factors.