THE Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) have expressed disappointment at the way the citizens of Guyana have belittled and negatively criticised the Guyana Homecoming 2015 video.

An official press statement on behalf of the entities reads as follows: “It is with grave concern that we have noticed, over the last few hours, the outpouring of negative comments and reviews in relation to a video production for Guyana Homecoming 2015.

“While we remain tolerant and respectful of everyone’s opinion, the recent comments/posts on the Visit Guyana Facebook page are shocking and point to a troubling trend: as a society, not only are we encouraging unpatriotic thinking, but we are descending into an abyss of negativity that will have lasting effects.

“As a nation, we need to be more responsible in our actions, and we need to recognise that negative publicity about Guyana is eroding the strides made in marketing and promoting the country as a premier tourist destination.

“Moreover, we need to open our eyes to the fact that once negative comments and stories are written, we cannot retract them, and they are available for the world to see.

“Over the last decade, we have witnessed unprecedented levels of investment (locally and internationally) in the tourism sector; we have seen record-breaking arrival figures (Guyana has been leading the 34 Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO)member countries in tourist arrivals); more reputable international airlines are flying to Guyana; more international companies are selling Guyana as a birding destination; more filming and documentary crews are interested in Guyana, and Guyana is being featured in publications internationally more than (at) any other time.

“These are just a few tangible results of an industry under transformation; and renewed thrust and energy is being placed on the promotion, marketing, and development of Tourism in Guyana. The Private Sector continues to work overtime, together with Tourism Ministry officials and stakeholders in the tourism industry, to help reposition Guyana; and, quite recently, we have undergone a rebranding of the destination.

“Time and energy have been invested into the growth of this fragile sector, and along the way, we have continued to encourage all Guyanese — irrespective of political affiliation, religion or creed — to recognise the role they play as individuals, not only in promoting their country, but in PROTECTING the image of Guyana, as Guyanese citizens, and to become better salesmen/women for Guyana.

“In recognition of the destination’s potential of becoming a leading Sustainable Tourism Destination, the Ambassador Programme was recently launched. The programme aims to widen Guyana’s tourism reach through the designated ‘celebrity’, so that potential travellers (from) around the world can identify with them and increase travel interest.

“Prominent, accomplished, world renowned Guyanese sportsmen/women, singers and media personalities have agreed to be a part of this programme, and have taken on a patriotic role of telling the rest of the world what they believe to be true — that Guyana should be the destination of choice, with its diverse tourism product.

“Again, the perpetrators of these dastardly acts cannot fathom the gravity of this situation, and do not understand the irreparable damage they are causing. The very same individuals/groups who are quick to denounce do not offer any solutions to the problems that exist.

“What is more troubling is that these persons/groups, who openly condemn efforts to highlight the country’s positive attributes and strengths, are aware of the hurdles that we have overcome to gain our current positioning.

“Why then try to relegate the country’s image? Are you not Guyanese? Have you no pride in who you are?

“A week ago, the Tourism Minister from Barbados and Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) , the Hon. Richard Sealey, delivering the feature address at the Tourism Awards Ceremony, acknowledged that even war-torn countries and destinations marred by civil unrest are promoting their countries at World Travel Market and popular trade shows.

“Though locked in turmoil, their belief in their country’s potential is unwavering, and they try not to hide the facts, but to highlight that their destination is more than just the sum of the exiting problems.

“We have come so far from the days when a potential visitor would Google Guyana and see a story about the tragedy at Jonestown, and yet there are still those among us who are intent on destroying any opportunity that we have (to) uplift our image as a country. They are intent on hiding behind their diatribe on social media and their biased personal attacks.

“At the Ministry of Tourism, we will continue, with unfailing commitment, to work with the Private Sector, stakeholders and investors, in the interest of national development, to ensure that Guyana’s Tourism Brand is associated with positive messages, images and attributes that define the destination.

Let us all remember that we are Guyanese and ambassadors, and it is our role to protect the image of our country; it is not our right to tear it down”.