THE Princess Hotel Guyana, on February 13, received from the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) license to operate under the Tourism Accommodation Establishment (TAE).This certification would indeed lift the standards of the hotel, particularly as the entity would soon be rebranded.

In a ceremony at which the certificate was handed over, GTA Director Mr Indranauth Haralsingh related that this is the second such licence to be issued to date.

He deemed this an outstanding achievement for the establishment, and said it should be emulated.

The hotel’s General Manager, Mr. Ugur Turetgen, graciously accepted the licence while noting that it is a high achievement for the Princess Hotel.

The U.S.-based hotel group Ramada will be spending US$7 million to rebrand the Princess Hotel and Casino at Providence, East Bank Demerara, to RAMADA Georgetown Princess, officials announced on April 15, 2014.

Speaking at a media briefing at that event, Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali said: “We in the Ministry of Tourism and the Guyana Tourism Authority will stand ready in supporting them (RAMADA) to ensure the success of this venture.”

Minister Ali said the rebranding is a major investment in Guyana’s tourism sector, and he acknowledged the commitment of the Princess Hotel management to improve the local tourism product.

Ali explained that rebranding does not entail only a name change, but a change in the level of services offered. He added that the RAMADA’s services are second to none.

The tourism sector, the minister said, has been gaining traction over the years. He gave recognition to the ability of large investments to foster smaller investments, and said the GTA has been working to drive traffic to all hotels, particularly during off-peak seasons.

The rebranding mission, which came into being following an agreement between the Providence entity and RAMADA — a subsidiary of the Wyndham Hotel group of New Jersey, USA — has already taken effect, and is a work in progress in which the two entities have partnered on existing ‘Princess’ hotels in Europe and the Caribbean.

The GTA has, to date, presented certificates of conformity to Wilderness Explorers, Rock View Eco Lodge and Resort, Roraima Tours, and City Inn Suites. (Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)