Eco-tourism best practices reinforced at GICC confab
Participants in action during the group sessions
Participants in action during the group sessions

THE Tourism Ministry (MTIC), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), hosted a one-day workshop on ‘Best Practices for Eco tourism’ last Thursday at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. And flowing from that activity was the finding that the concept of “eco-tourism” is not homogenous. 

The UNDP’s Visiting Project Consultant, Ms Angelica Kandzior, presented her preliminary findings after holding interviews and meetings with tourism stakeholders, including the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Conservation International Guyana Limited (CIGL), the University of Guyana (UG), and Iwokrama, among others, in December 2014.

The Government of Guyana and the UNDP have reached an agreement on a Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP) for the period 2012/2016, and have signed an Annual Work Plan for the project under which a contract and consultancy has been awarded to Kandzior to develop a final South-South Eco Tourism Compendium for Guyana.

The consultant’s findings showed that eco-tourism coexists with notions such as nature tourism, sustainable tourism, heritage and Community-based tourism (CBT); “where the concept of Eco Tourism is not homogenous.”

Stakeholders involved in eco-tourism or related forms of tourism “do not gather in specific umbrella organisations, while information on ventures cannot be found on a joint website”, she explained.

Eco-Tourism ventures offer activities that go beyond the scope of conventional eco-tourism, and seem to be concentrated with its related forms in Regions 4 (Demerara-Mahaica) and 9 (Upper Takutu-Upper Esequibo).

Ms Kandzior further explained that the marketing focus for Guyana is primarily the United Kingdom and the United States. However, she said, like obtains in South American and other European countries, where the guides possess good knowledge about their local environment, the potential of Guyana’s guides should be complemented with general information about the country and issues of significance.

Ms Kandzior highlighted in her presentation the approach guides should have in selling Guyana’s eco-tourism products, such as Nature Tourism, CBT, Sustainable tourism, Adventure Tourism & Cultural Tourism, which are all vital to growth of the industry.

She also explained that the use of the term ‘eco-tourism’ in various local documentations, such as the Kanuku Mountains Protected Areas Management Plan, Tourism Development Strategy 2012 – 2016, National Biodiversity Strategy, and Low Carbon Development Strategy are on point.

Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) Director Mr Indranauth Haralsingh reiterated the Government’s commitment to working with the UNDP to implement the eco-tourism strategy, while encouraging the investment and marketing needed to achieve the vision for Guyana’s ecotourism development.

He said it is only with “clear direction, appropriate funding, and strong Government-and-private- sector support” that this can be achieved.

“The future outlook for the Guyana Tourism industry is extremely positive. Your active participation and contribution will assist in boosting eco-tourism development in Guyana,” Haralsingh declared.

Acknowledging that the UNDP is one of Guyana’s important and strategic development partners, the GTA Director expressed profound gratitude for the continued support of that august body.

Following the official opening, group sessions were held to examine the current eco-tourism offerings, and how those can be best developed.

(By Rebecca Ganesh)

 

 

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