Travel-Tourism-Belize

Planning and Leading Sustainable/Cultural Tourism Trips

January 2-9, 2012, Dates are TBA for 2013

REC 373 (3 credits)
This course satisfies the International Core Requirement

The course explores the many facets of providing nature-based/cultural experiences for customers in a sustainable manner. We will learn which elements are necessary to provide a safe nature-based experience for tourists and learn how adventure tourist providers package, market, lead, and evaluate sustainable tourism experiences. You will learn how to develop an itinerary for an multiday nature-based/cultural travel experience for a group of diverse tourists and learn how Wilderness Inquiry integrates people with disabilities into wilderness tours. This course is offered as part of USM's Sustainable Tourism Certificate and counts towards the international course requirement for this program.

We will also take advantage our location in Belize to gain an awareness of Belize's cultural, historical, geological and geographical attributes. Formerly British Honduras, Belize is the only English speaking country in Central America. It is an interesting mixture of cultures, predominately Mayan and Garifuna. Belize, often referred to as Mother Nature’s best kept secret. Belize has not been developed to the same extent as some other popular destinations in the region. The landscape encompasses coastal mangrove forests, lush tropical rain forests, offshore cays and the MesoAmerican Reef – the second largest coral reef system in the world. 

Travel will primarily be in mini bus, by canoe, catamaran and foot. We will be staying in small local hotels, B & B’s and lodges. Accommodations will be simple yet comfortable. No visas are required but your passport should be valide for another 6 months after the trip ends.

Itinerary

There will be two classes held in December to provide an overview of the trip, slides of the area, and general conditions. Students will also be presented with a list of appropriate clothing, footwear and gear for the trip. Integrated wilderness travel, with specific focus on Wilderness Inquiry’s approach, will also be presented.

Belize 8-day Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive in Belize City, meet your trip mates, and ride to San Ignacio and a great little jungle lodge right by the river. San Ignacio is a beautiful town with great shopping and friendly people. Relax with a banquet by the river.

Day 2 - Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, then ride to part of the Chiquibul cave system where you will canoe into the Mayan underworld known as Xibalba (shebulba). This cave is HUGE, and contains sacrificial remains, as well as spectacular stalagmites and stalactites. You will see the footholds carved by the Mayans over 1,500 years ago.  Enjoy lunch, then drive over the border into Guatemala, and experience an immediate change in culture from English-speaking Belize to Spanish-speaking Guatemala.  Stay at a beautiful lodge near Lake Itza in the town of Remate.  Enjoy dinner at this fabulous eco-lodge.

Day 3 – Rise early and make the dawn trek to Tikal.  The scope and scale of Tikal will impress you; it has over 17,000 stone buildings, most of them unexcavated.  Our guide has a wealth of knowledge about Tikal and the Mayans—he literally helps you hear the roar of the crowd as the Mayan king comes out for the ball game.  From the famous scene from Temple V in “Star Wars” to the growl of the Howler Monkeys, Tikal offers an experience like no other.  In the evening, we’ll enjoy a nice dinner on the shore of Lake Itza, and contemplate the meaning of Tikal and the Mayan civilization.  What really did happen to the Mayans?  

Day 4 – Leave Guatemala and drive to the lovely village of Hopkins, Belize.  On the way, we will stop for barbeque chicken and “Bib’s”, and a short hike around Guanacaste National Park. If it’s hot, we’ll take a swim in “Roaring Creek” before we proceed down the beautiful “Hummingbird Highway” and through the Mayan Mountains on our way to Hopkins.  Settle in to our beach house on the shore of the Caribbean in Hopkins, and prepare for a night of Garifuna culture on the beach—drumming, great seafood, and very friendly people.  

Day 5 -- Rise early and go to the Mayan village of Red Bank to see Scarlet Macaws.  This is one of the last wild places these majestic parrots live in the wild. The adventuresome can hike up into the mountains for a look. Others will tour the scenic village of Red Bank, a friendly place where modern day Maya live.  Everyone will enjoy a picnic feast by the river before heading back to chill out on the beach in Hopkins.

Day 6 – Enjoy a morning visit to the famed Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve for a guided tour of the jungle.  Run by the Belize Audubon Society, the Cockscomb Basin is one of the last refuges for the Jaguar, as well as many other species of birds and animals.  After hiking to a scenic vista, everyone can enjoy a swim in a crystal clear pool at the base of a waterfall.  Enjoy shopping at a Maya crafts center, then an afternoon paddle on Sittee River—a bonfire on the beach caps off a perfect day.

Day 7 – Sail the Caribbean in a catamaran and enjoy some of the finest snorkeling on the planet in South Water Caye Marine Reserve.  The barrier reef of Belize is pristine and huge.  You will need lots of sunscreen for this day as you explore the fascinating and colorful world of the reef.  Enjoy lunch on a small mangrove island, snorkel in the afternoon, and then return to the Sittee River.  That night we will enjoy our farewell banquet.  You will be amazed at how fast a week can go by, and how many wonderful memories you will have.

Day 8 – Enjoy a tropical breakfast and then drive to Belize City for flight home. Say good-bye to the wonderful country of Belize!

Faculty

Dr. David B. Jones (Dave), Ed. D., CTRS, an Associate Professor in Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Southern Maine, received his doctorate from the University of Oregon. Throughout his professional career, both in academic and non-academic settings, he has led diverse groups (i.e., university students, youth-at-risk, adjudicated young people, and people with disabilities) on extended wilderness adventures. Currently Dave serves as a board member to the Maine Chapter of the International Appalachian Trail/Sentier International des Appalaches. In addition to serving as a board member with the International Childhood Enrichment Program, he is helping to build playgrounds for children in Afghanistan and Haiti.

Application

A complete application includes all of the following and is due at the Office of International Programs. The deadline is September 28, 2012:

* Signed, completed application form*
* $200 non-refundable deposit (applied to the program cost)
* Typed 200-word essay
* A letter of recommendation from a faculty member or academic advisor
* Official copies of all academic transcripts

Incomplete applications will not be accepted. You will be notified by e-mail of your application status. If your application is not accepted, the nonrefundable deposit will be returned. If the program is canceled for any reason by the USM, all deposits will be returned.

* If you are having trouble downloading the application, please contact us at (207) 780-4959 or international@usm.maine.edu and we will send you one. You may also want to try upgrading to the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Tuition and Fees

The program fee for the Tourism Program in Belize is TBA, but should be similar to last year's fee ($2950). The cost of three credits of tuition and fees at the in-state rate are in addition to the program fee. The program fee includes accommodation, roundtrip airfare, scheduled in-country travel, site visits, field trips, all meals in Belize, and emergency medical and evacuation insurance through iNext.

Not included in the program fee is the cost of tuition, fees, books, academic supplies, or other personal expenses. Three credits of tuition is $759 plus $84 for the university unified fee. All participants on USM travel programs receive the in-state tuition rate regardless of residency.

The winter session is part of the fall semester and these additional credits may put you in a higher bracket for other academic fees. Please visit the Student Accounts website for complete information on tuition and fees. All participants on USM travel programs receive the in-state tuition rate regardless of residency.

All participants will be automatically registered for a payment plan. The $200 deposit will go towards the cost of the program and the remaining balance will be due as follows:

50% of the balance due Friday, November 2, 2012
Remaining balance due Friday, December 7, 2012