Quintana Roo Business Mission to Belize Aims for Zero-Tariff Caribbean Trade

Quintana Roo, Mexico — Business leaders from Quintana Roo will travel to Belize this month on a trade mission aimed at opening new markets in the Caribbean, with a focus on securing zero-tariff access for goods exported from the region.

The mission, organized by the southeastern chapter of the Mexican Council of Foreign Trade (Comce), is scheduled for September 12–16. Sergio León Cervantes, the council’s vice president for productive linkages, said the main objective is to help companies obtain a Belizean certificate of origin. That document would allow them to export to Caribbean islands without paying import duties — a significant advantage given that shipments from Mexico currently face tariffs of 40 to 80 percent.

León Cervantes said selling to corporate hotel chains could unlock wider opportunities, since major hospitality brands use the same mattresses, linens, glassware, and tableware across all their properties. By moving part of the production process to Belize, Quintana Roo suppliers could avoid those high tariffs. The mission is being coordinated with the Mexican Embassy in Belize and the Belizean government.

He also noted that land in Belize is available under long-term concessions without rent, and that officials are analyzing whether to convert some sites into a free zone. Under that model, companies could set up operations without paying taxes and export finished goods with Belizean origin, he said.

León Cervantes said he expects the trip to result in contracts with Central American hotel operators, given the experience of Quintana Roo businesses in hotel supply.

He also announced that Comce’s annual Americas Alliance conference will be held in Playa del Carmen from October 28 to 31. More than 100 entrepreneurs have already registered, and 55 countries are confirmed, including South Korea, Thailand, Japan, China, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain, as well as countries from the Americas and several Caribbean islands. The event will feature matchmaking sessions from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with 20-minute business appointments over three days to address logistics, customs, and distribution issues in both origin and destination markets.

Quintana Roo and Belize have long maintained a commercial relationship based on geographic proximity and complementary economies. Officials say there is strong potential for expanding cross-border trade, and joint strategies are being explored to improve logistics, infrastructure, and commercial connectivity between the two sides.