New to forum - Possibly Starting new business questions

Hey new member,my wife and are new to the Belize forum too because we just spent about 9 months of research and 18 days on the ground going up the coast of Ecuador in early December looking for our potential new residents but only to be disappointed on what's really left to purchase and how hard is to find anything in that beautiful country. Honestly we have travelled alot around central & south america and you have to take the good with the bad but after spending time there it's not for us!. We are going back to researching  Belize that was on our short list 2 years ago and we should have bought then instead of buying now with all the inflation of ocean front properties today. So the bottum line is that we are tired of spending so much time and money that as soon as our properties at home sell that were moving to Belize for good.

GOLEAFSGO

I feel pretty much the same frustration, spending too much time and money travelling and looking, getting priced out of the market.

Are you saying you want a partnership with particular knowledge or want to hire someone to assist you?

If you are wanting to start a 'new' business with tour boating, be warned it is an already crowded market, Belize does not have anything like the tourist numbers of Equador, or other vacation areas in the area. You could check if any such businesses are for sale ATM the saying is that every business  is for sale in Belize. If you want to leave Belize with  $1 million after starting a business you need to start with $2 million. It has a small poor population of about 360,000 bout half as many, over the whole country and the full year, as tourists.

You will need a "self" employment permit which should not take more than a couple of months to get if you are starting a business that employs Local workers. Until you get that permit  in your hand you cannot do ANY business/paid employment in Belize.

The tourist season is mainly from late November to end of April in the mainland and maybe a little longer tourist season on the Cayes. there are tourists all through the year but at much lower numbers.
From June to November is the Hurricane season so keeps many would be Tourists safely at home. Don't forget  a lot of these tourists are not going to be looking for water trips but into the archeology and wild life aspects of Belize.
Most Expats that settle in Belize are Older and take advantage of the  Qualified retirement program and living on fixed incomes.   Mostly Belize citizens are workers in the tourist industry rarely customers.
I am not certain if it is still the rules, but Having a Belize citizen as a  partner
with or without a financial interest, involved or a sleeping partner  but a Belize citizen none the less, to have a business in Belize.
Yes you will need a Belize skippers license to be allowed  anywhere near the reef.
        I wish you well in your new venture, Nothing worth having is going to be easy.