Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697637448454.pdf (Belize)
Hotels and Tourist Accommodation BELIZE: HOTELS AND TOURIST ACCOMMODATION (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2020 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Short title.

Amendment of section 2.

Amendment of section 12.

Amendment of section 27.

Amendment of section 28.

Amendment of section 30.

Savings and transitional.

Commencement of section 2.

No.

6] Hotels and Tourist Accommodation 87 No.

6 of 2020 I assent, (SIR COLVILLE N. YOUNG) Governor-General 29th January, 2020.
AN ACT to amend the Hotels and Tourist Accommodation Act, Chapter 285 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, to modernize the minimum registration, licensing and operating requirement for hotels and other tourist accommodations; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

(Gazetted 1st February, 2020).

BE IT ENACTED, by and with the advice and consent of the House of Representatives and Senate of Belize and by the authority of the same, as follows- 1.
This Act may be cited as the HOTELS AND TOURIST ACCOMMODATION (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2020, Short title and construction.

88 CAP.

285.

Hotels and Tourist Accommodation [No.

6 and shall be read and construed as one with the Hotels and Tourist Accommodation Act, which, is hereinafter referred to as the principal Act.

Amendment of section 2.

2.
The principal Act is amended in section 2 by– (a) repealing the definition for “hotel” and substituting the following– “hotel” means any building or group of interconnected buildings with a public entrance, providing at least ten bedrooms for the use of guests, and offers– (a) accommodation with private bathrooms; (b) breakfast service; (c) a lobby with at least twelve hour reception service; (d) ancillary services; and (e) amenities; (b) repealing the definition for “tourist accommodation” and substituting the following- ““tourist accommodation” means any, (a) apartment / apartment studio; (b) condominium; (c) guest house; No.
6] Hotels and Tourist Accommodation 89 (d) resort; (e) motel; (f) bed and breakfast; (g) lodge; (h) vacation home / room rental; (i) hostel; (j) homestay; (k) live-aboard vessel; (l) camping ground; (m) religious, educational, research or community based facility; (n) cabin/cabanas; or (o) any other establishment, other than a hotel, consisting of one or more units for the accommodation of guests for reward, situated within the same complex or precincts;”; and (c) by inserting the following new terms and corresponding definitions in their proper alphabetical sequence– ““apartment/apartment studio” means any building that offers more than one 90 Hotels and Tourist Accommodation [No.
6 unit with independent single public entrance to each unit; “bed and breakfast” means any building or group or interconnected buildings that provides– (a) (b) (c) one or more rooms for the use of guests; an independent entrance to each room; breakfast at a cost included in the room rate; and (d) private bathrooms; “cabin/cabana” means any unit– (a) (b) built in the form of detached units; and located on a single parcel in a natural area; “condominium” means any building with– (a) three or more units separately owned through strata titles and with joint ownership of common areas; and (b) independent single public entrance to each unit; No.
6] Hotels and Tourist Accommodation 91 “camping ground” means any area that is designated for tents, caravans, recreational vehicles or other camping platform and provides a bathroom facility and common area for the use of guests; “guest house” means any building or group of interconnected buildings that provides– (a) (b) one or more rooms for the use of guests; an independent entrance to each room; and (c) private or shared bathrooms; “homestay” means any building, managed by an association, with five or more residential units that provides shared bathroom facilities and at least one room for the use of guest, and offers– (a) a mutual cultural exchange experience with a local host family; (b) traditional meals; and (c) daily activities; “hostel” means any building or group of interconnected buildings that provides– 92 Hotels and Tourist Accommodation [No.
6 (a) (b) one or more private or shared rooms for guests; an independent entrance to each room; and (c) private or shared bathrooms; “live-aboard” means any vessel, supported by means of flotation and capable of being used for self-propelled navigation and is used solely as a residence for tourists, guests, place of business, professional enterprise or other commercial enterprise; “lodge” means any building or group of interconnected buildings, located in a natural area, and provides– (a) (b) one or more rooms for the use of guests; an independent entrance to each room; and (c) private or shared bathrooms; “motel” means any building or group of interconnected buildings that is located in the vicinity of a highway and provides– (a) (b) one or more rooms with private bathroom; one allocated parking space per guestroom; No.
6] Hotels and Tourist Accommodation 93 (c) public entrance to the building; and (d) 24 hour reception service; “religious, educational, research or community based facility means any building or group of interconnected buildings used for the purpose of religion, education or research and provides– (a) one or more rooms with an independent entrance; and (b) private or shared bathrooms; “resort” means any building or group of interconnected buildings with– (a) a public entrance; (b) (c) at least 20 rooms with private bathrooms; food and beverage facilities, with services providing breakfast, lunch and dinner; (d) a lobby that has at least 12 hour reception services; (e) ancillary services; (f) amenities; and (f) at least 3 recreational activities, of which at least 94 Hotels and Tourist Accommodation [No.
6 one of those activities shall be carried outside the establishment and the others within the surroundings of the establishment; “unit” means an enclosed area comprising of a bedroom, bathroom, living area and kitchen for the accommodation of guests for reward; and “vacation home/room rental” means one or more detached units or part of a detached unit that does not exceed three floors and – (a) has an independent or common entrance to each unit; and (b) private or shared bathroom in each unit.”.
Amendment of section 12.

3.

The principal Act is amended by repealing section 12 and substituting the following– “12.

Every license issued under this Act shall– (a) (b) be valid for a maximum period of two years; and expire on the 31st of October of the second year.”.

Amendment of section 27.

4.

The principal Act is amended in section 27(1) by deleting the words “ten thousand dollars” and substituting the words “twenty-five thousand dollars”.

No.

6] Hotels and Tourist Accommodation 95 5.


The principal Act is amended in section 28– Amendment of section 28.
(a) in sub-section (1) by– (i) (ii) inserting the word “or” at the end of sub-paragraph (vi); and inserting after sub-paragraph (vi), the following new sub-paragraph– “(vii) to comply with any regulation made by the Minister, in relation to minimum registration, licensing and operating requirements; or”; and (b) in subsection (2) by deleting paragraph (f) and substituting the following– “(f) if the proprietor fails to ensure that the premises are maintained in keeping with the minimum standards of health, accommodation and service as prescribed in regulations made by the Minister.”.
6.

The principal Act is amended in section 30 by repealing sub-section (3) and substituting the following– Amendment of section 30.

“(3) The maximum penalty for an offence specified in a violation ticket issued pursuant to sub-section (2) shall be ten thousand dollars.”.

7.

Notwithstanding section 3 of this Act, every licence issued before the entry into force of this amendment Act Savings and transitional.

96 Hotels and Tourist Accommodation [No.


6 shall remain effective until the 31st of December for the year it was issued.

Commencement of section 2.

8.

Notwithstanding the coming into force of this Act, section 2 of this Act comes into force on the 1st day of January 2021.

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