University of Arkansas Students Attending a Belize Tourism Industry Association Meeting

Author: Kaitlyn Guest | Major: Supply Chain Management | Semester: Summer 2023

Hello, I’m Kaitlyn Guest, a junior Supply Chain Management major with an Economics minor. I spent two months of my summer in Dangriga, Belize, alongside nine other U of A students. Our group of nine was broken down into three subgroups and I was on the Tourism Team, where I acted as a consultant for small businesses (primarily regarding marketing) and researching the impact a digital presence has on tourist-reliant economies. While I am constructing my thesis here in the states, I needed to visit Belize to conduct my boots on the ground research.

Before my departure I met with my group and mentor, Dr. Amy Farmer, many times. Each time we discussed our plans for our work in Belize and also reviewed our proposals for grants that would fund our trip. In the months leading up to my trip I was in communications with my Belizean boss, Carlene Sanchez, and Dr. Farmer to iron out all of the details of my project. Both Dr. Farmer and Mrs. Sanchez gave me feedback and advised me on how to conduct my research and planning before my trip.

While in Belize, I met with a variety of small businesses. I was able to assess their familiarity with social media platforms and their online presence. Although Belize is a hot tourist destination, a majority of the business owners were not acquainted with sites such as Instagram, TikTok, and Canva. My group did our best to listen to locals and hear what they wanted our help with and assist them in those areas. By the end of my trip I had created logos, marketing plans, social media content, graphics, and even websites. The knowledge I have gained by studying at the U of A came in handy to tackle these tasks.

Throughout this process I have made connections with many great people. My two direct bosses in Dangriga were business power houses. I gained lots of insight listening about their past career experiences and vast knowledge of the area. Although not sustaining relationships, I did get to meet with many local leaders (such as the Mayor) and gain new perspectives on economic and social problems. My time in Belize was very eye opening in the best way possible. Additionally, I had the opportunity to live, travel, work, and bond with nine other students throughout the summer. These are the same students in my classes and the same people who will be young professionals in the corporate world with me. Creating relationships with those in my group will not only help me succeed with my thesis, but also in my classes, and maybe even in my post-grad life.

I am starting my first semester of junior year and the next step for this project will be to construct my thesis, which hopefully will be completed by the end of spring semester. I intend to compile all of my notes, data, etc. I gathered while out of the country and create an outline during fall semester 2023. Spring semester will be used for me to write my rough draft and make edits under the guidance of Dr. Farmer. The two months I spent in Belize were life changing, and I am excited to see how my final project will reflect this.