How's the economy in Cayo, Belize, including San Ignacio and Belmopan?

While unemployment is part and parcel of Belize, there is a buoyancy in Cayo in large measure due to the level of commerce here.

 

There are 5 banks located in San Ignacio, including Canada’s ScotiaBank. The commercial landscape is varied and includes real estate companies, hardware stores, banks, ATM machines, pharmacies, grocery stores, bakeries, dentists, doctors, tour companies, schools, restaurants, cafés, bars, mechanics, beauty salons, clothing...

While unemployment is part and parcel of Belize, there is a buoyancy in Cayo in large measure due to the level of commerce here.

 

There are 5 banks located in San Ignacio, including Canada’s ScotiaBank. The commercial landscape is varied and includes real estate companies, hardware stores, banks, ATM machines, pharmacies, grocery stores, bakeries, dentists, doctors, tour companies, schools, restaurants, cafés, bars, mechanics, beauty salons, clothing stores, appliance stores, gas stations, hotels, stadiums, furniture stores, etc. If Saturday market is any barometer, Cayo is faring much better than other districts.  

 

(Pictured: Downtown San Ignacio, Cayo District, Belize.)

The economy in the Cayo District is probably the best in the whole country of Belize, apart from Ambergris Caye and Placencia. Cayo is a big tourist attraction, and a lot of people here are employed in the tourism industry.  The government is putting a lot of infrastructure in Cayo. It’s quite a wealthy place compared to other parts of the country.
 
A lot of expats live here.  The good thing about the expats in the Cayo area, including San Ignacio, is that they...

The economy in the Cayo District is probably the best in the whole country of Belize, apart from Ambergris Caye and Placencia. Cayo is a big tourist attraction, and a lot of people here are employed in the tourism industry.  The government is putting a lot of infrastructure in Cayo. It’s quite a wealthy place compared to other parts of the country.
 
A lot of expats live here.  The good thing about the expats in the Cayo area, including San Ignacio, is that they don’t bunch together, like they do in Ambergris Caye and Placencia; they are spread out in the community.
 
In addition to tourism, the economy in Cayo is based on agriculture and oil (which was found in the Spanish Lookout area).  Oil was the number one income producer a couple of years but I think it’s going down. Tourism is the main income producing industry here, followed by agriculture.
 
Cayo is as the breadbasket of Belize; most of the food we eat in Belize is grown in Cayo.   We have a lot of agriculture: corn, sugar, cattle, and many other items.

 

(Burning sugar cane to reduce unnecessary green leafy matter, pictured.)

The Twin Towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena are the second largest settlement in Belize after Belize City. They are the inland tourist hub of Belize. Tourism is very important in Cayo; it is the biggest income sector of Cayo and we see an upward trend. Other than tourism, agriculture is  the economic driver. We have big of farmland here with meat and corn production. The Mennonites who live in Spanish Lookout are large growers of corn and also produce 80% of the chicken and eggs...

The Twin Towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena are the second largest settlement in Belize after Belize City. They are the inland tourist hub of Belize. Tourism is very important in Cayo; it is the biggest income sector of Cayo and we see an upward trend. Other than tourism, agriculture is  the economic driver. We have big of farmland here with meat and corn production. The Mennonites who live in Spanish Lookout are large growers of corn and also produce 80% of the chicken and eggs around the country.
 
Cayo has been constantly growing during the 5 years since we came here. The most visible evidence is the number of cars in the streets. More and more people can afford to buy their own cars. Also there is construction going on all over Cayo so I have a positive feeling about the economy here.
 
San Ignacio has the largest farmers’ market in the country. Every Saturday the farmers from the surrounding villages come and sell their produce. But it is not only vegetables and fruits you can get but also clothing and whatever else that you might need in everyday life.
 
The modern Mennonites of Spanish Lookout play an important role in the economy of Cayo and Belize in general. They have vast farms where they grow various crops in a modern way. They belong to the biggest importers of hardware in Belize. There are three big home improvement stores in Spanish Lookout where you can get all the tools and materials that you need for construction. They are not as sophisticated as Home Depot but you will get most of what you need. Other things you can get in Spanish Lookout are e.g. ready-mixed concrete and steel. You will also find several sawmills. So if you live in Cayo and you are in the construction business or build your own house, Spanish Lookout is a very important place for you.
 
The Mennonites are also the big importers of tires and machinery of all kind. The nice thing about doing business with them is that they do it in a very professional and reliable way. Maybe I am especially attracted to this because of my German roots. The Mennonites maintain their own roads at a very good standard. Their farms look manicured and their farm houses are well taken care of. When you go to Spanish Lookout, you can immediately tell that they have a different culture. 

 

(Car on a ferry to the Mennonite settlement in Spanish Lookout, Belize, pictured.)