– President Granger

By Alva Solomon
PRESIDENT David Granger says Guyana’s eco-tourism potential can make the country a global player in the international tourism market and he called for more investments in the sector, including by the business community here.

Speaking at the annual President’s Awards Dinner and Auction hosted by the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Kingston on Friday evening , the Head of State told a gathering of tourism advocates , operators and government officials among others that Guyana is part of the new frontier of tourism , one which sees the sun-and-sand tourism product giving way to adventure ,eco and wildlife tourism among other new forms.
“Eco-tourism has the greatest potential, it is probably the one product that will make our country an global player in the international tourism market”, he said.
He said that it has the capacity to become the most transformative sub-sector of the country’s economy.
“Our country’s competitive capacity lies with eco-tourism and we must exploit this competitive advantage,” he said.
He said that the government aims to ensure that the eco- tourism sector will be developed most vividly and methodically. He said that protection of the environment is an essential pillar of the country’s green economy mandate. As he continued, the Head of State noted that tourism cannot be developed without improvement and investment such as in infrastructure and technology.
He identified transportation as key to the development of the sector, noting that most of the tourism destinations in Guyana are in the hinterland and high transportation costs impact the advancement of the sector. He said the government will invest in improving the scenario, but he noted too that investments by the private sector is needed to open attraction. “We will as a government aggressively court investments in the eco- tourism sector,” the President noted

Tourism is an essential element in the world economy, the Head of State noted, as he informed that the sector accounts for one in very 11 jobs in the global economy. “We cannot toy with tourism,” he said.
Guyana is strategically situated in one of the most attractive geo-physical zones in the world, the Guiana Shield, one of the four remaining tracts of tropical forests in the world.
“We possess vast areas of unexplored virgin territory,” he said, as he mentioned his administration’s commitment to put aside parcels of lands for preservation in which protected areas will be established in each of the 10 administrative regions.
Earlier in the evening, Shaun McGrath, THAG’s president, highlighted the association’s contribution to the development of tourism over the years. This year, THAG celebrates its 25th anniversary.
He reiterated that body’s call for the establishment of a stand-alone tourism ministry.
His call was echoed by Tony Thorne of Wilderness Explorers who was inducted into the Tourism Hall of Fame on Friday evening. Speaking via Skype from Australia, Thorne noted the importance of tourism to Guyana and the role it can play in advancement of the economy.
At the forum several winners were announced. These included lodge/resort of the year (Arrowpoint Nature Resort), hotel of the year (Guyana Marriott), the direct tourism services award which went to domestic carrier Trans Guyana Airways and an award for tourism-supporting services which went to ANSA McAl Trading.