A well-designed website will allow your business to connect and engage with potential visitors looking for your type of tourism business in Belize, while serving as your main marketing platform.

A lot of tourism business owners are asking the question: How can we use this great marketing platform for promoting and growing my business?

Listed below are 10 key components which every tourism website in Belize should have:

1. Easy Website Navigation

The most important element for a great tourism website is having an easy to use navigation. You may be offering the best service in the tourism market, however, if your site visitor can't easily locate what they are looking for, they will leave your site and look elsewhere.

So how do you ensure your site visitor have an easy and smooth website navigation? Your website layout needs to be simple and logically organized.

It is standard that your site's menu is located in your website header, however, you also want to place links to your most important pages in your website footer, and within the body of website.

Therefore, while a site visitor is scrolling down your site page and reading its content, make sure you have links to key pages, so they can jump to those pages immediately, instead of scrolling back to the top of the page or the bottom to find the main menu.

2. Logical Website Design & Layout

A beautiful design with a logical layout is very important for your website. In the tourism industry, eye-catching, professional photos are key design content.

Users often leave a page within 10 - 20 seconds, so make sure your design can convince them to stay on your site within the first 10 seconds.

Your Value Proposition should be crystal clear as a visitor lands on your site. Let them know what type of service you are offering in clear, simple language, and why they should choose your business.

3. Responsive Design

Have you ever visited a website on your phone and it looks different than on your laptop, like it was designed differently for your phone? Well, that is called responsive design.

Mobile devices now make up over 50% of website traffic. That means it is likely most people will visit your website on their mobile device than on a laptop or desktop computer.

It is estimated that number will jump post Covid-19.

This means it is vital that your website is optimized for mobile devices.

4. Content Is Key

Creating original content on your website that provides important details regarding your business and its services, is key.

You want your website to have an impact when visitors land on it. Make sure your site is consistent with your brand strategy. Similar design, colors, typeface etc on business cards, brochures, signs, social media pages etc.

A professional tourism website designer will conduct market research to identify how to craft the tone of your copy, type of pictures, videos and graphics to use so that your target audience find it easy to understand and relate with your website.

5. Call to Action

A Call To Action statement is basically telling the site visitor what to do after you have convinced them that you are the best choice. These statements are useful for guiding visitors towards actions such as: booking a tour, subscribing to your newsletter, sending you an email to request further information, calling your office etc.

6. Testimonials

Testimonials and reviews validates that you offer an exquisite service in the Belize tourism market.

A testimonial and review section is a must-have for your website. This component is a great way to increase your business credibility via your website.

Testimonials and reviews are past clients telling potential clients how awesome your service is and thus making them feel comforted and more confident about choosing your business.

Make sure to place testimonials and reviews on your site's home page, so visitors can view them on landing. However, there should also be a separate page on your site for customers’ testimonials and reviews.

7. Email Opt-In Offer

One of the most important marketing strategy for any and all tourism business in Belize is to grow and utilize an email subscribers list.

One of the best ways to get people to opt-in to your subscriber's list is to create an offer on your website so that the site visitor will be willing to leave their email to receive your promotional emails.

This helps in collecting contact information of your site visitors even if they do not make a booking or booking request on your website.

8. Story Telling

Don't use too much rhetorical flourishes, as Obama would say. Speak in your own language, tell your company's story in your own words. An expert copywriter will be able to create unique, original content for your website that tells your story.

This will help to establish, build and maintain Brand Loyalty, which is very important for your business. You want your site visitors to feel connected to your brand.

Your story should start on your home page and end on its own About Us page. This will help in adding a personal touch to your website and making a lifelong impression on your visitors.

9. FAQs Section

Create answers to frequently asked questions on a dedicated page which answers all basic questions. This is the best solution to guide your site visitors and help them understand your business and its offerings.

10. Contact Information

Tourism businesses in Belize are location-based. Make sure it is easy for your site visitors to contact you as well as find your area of operation.

This is a good strategy to improve your company’s credibility.

BONUS: Helpful Location Information

More and more tourism businesses in Belize are realizing that it is important to sell your destination not just your business.

Consider having a dedicated website page that lists other types of businesses, activities and POI (Points of Interest) in your area of operation.