…THAG President says

PRESIDENT of The Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Mitra Ramkumar, has said that the tourism sector could be the new developmental frontier for Guyana as the country seeks to advance its ‘Green Agenda’.

“We need to diversify our economy and if you look at which industry could diversify our economy, earn foreign exchange and is not necessarily susceptible to [the] decline in commodity prices—there is tourism,” Ramkumar told the Guyana Chronicle recently.

According to him, much emphasis is being placed on preparing Guyana for the petroleum industry, set to begin production in 2020. While he is certain that this industry will provide tremendous economic benefits for Guyana, he advanced that the nation needs to develop sustainable industries also. “An extractive industry (the petroleum industry, for example) is not a sustainable industry,” he said and related: “I see tourism as the new frontier industry for Guyana.”

He further explained that developing the tourism industry is a move that works in tandem with the drive to transform the country into a ‘Green State’—that is, the balancing of sustainable development with economic development, which allows for the sustainable use of natural resources.

He stated further, “Guyana has the opportunity to become a global leader, not only economically, but because of our untouched and pristine rainforest and biodiversity, but we need to preserve it.” Preserving Guyana’s natural patrimony will be key in developing tourism Ramkumar said but posited that sustainable practices must be employed. And these practices include protecting the environment, recycling and using renewable energy, according to him.

Aside from being a new avenue that that push sustainable development in Guyana, the President noted that tourism is a unique industry that can provide jobs across all skillsets.
“In order for this industry to move forward, you have to get the local buy-in. You need the general Guyanese to understand the importance of tourism first of all and see tourism as an industry that empowers them because it creates massive employment and it creates employment at every skill-level,” he highlighted.

In August of this year, President David Granger shared that there is a dropout rate of seven students daily of which five are from public schools, recorded from the 2016/2017 academic year. President Granger contended that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is an avenue that could be pursued to the greater extent, in these cases.

Work in tourism and hospitality aligns with the push for TVET according to Ramkumar. Resultantly, he disclosed that during the budget consultations for 2019, THAG requested a ‘hospitality institute’.

The President related that quite a few businesses in the service industry have complained about having to train persons on the job, and stressed that training persons in this field is paramount.

Through the institute, he noted, persons can now be shaped into professionals in every field, whether in landscaping, catering, tour guiding or providing other services. “So this industry is poised and is the avenue we should take if we talk about diversifying our economy, because it is sustainable industry and it is an industry that could bring us economic benefits along with social and cultural development,” Mitra affirmed. He added: “We should, as Guyanese, look at the industry—in fact, look beyond what you might think tourism is and see the huge opportunities that this industry has.”