Planning powerhouse and passionate pioneer of sustainable development, Maria Vega, an indigenous native of Caye Caulker is a founding member and past president of the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) and very much oriented to the future. A valuable technical resource person, she continuously serves the association in various capacities at local, national, and regional levels while engaging in all facets of projects to mobilize critical resources. She is dedicated to community development through entrepreneurship so that Belizean born citizens have the opportunity to be owners and managers of a Belizean tourism industry with a bright future.

Born into a family of developers of the second largest island of Belize, her interest in sustainable coastal community development continues a longstanding multi-generational family tradition now made more powerful with the innovation technology at hand. She is mindful that at the frontlines of climate change are barrier islands like Caye Caulker and coastal countries like Belize. To help resolve over population consumption patterns threatening the planet, in 2022 she was Belize Ambassador for Thought for Food (TFF), the world’s nex-gen innovation engine for impact – to accelerate the transformation of food systems and agriculture. Her interests are in small business development in the tourism industry, forests and home gardens, with special focus on natural and cultural heritage protection, capacity building and innovation.