The group of United Kingdom tour operators yesterday. At extreme left is GTA Director, Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh

The group comprising representatives from Journey Latin America, the Adventure Company, Last Frontiers, Swiss and Suriname Travel, Andean Trails, Trips Worldwide, Wilderness UK and Wilderness Australia will be here until April 29 and they will have an opportunity to explore and experience, what Guyana has to offer including its rich and unique biodiversity and wildlife.

The trip is organised by Wilderness Explorers, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and other local tour operators.

Welcoming the team yesterday at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown, GTA Director, Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh pointed out that this is the second FAM trip being conducted in Guyana for the year.

“The GTA is committed to this ‘market driven approach’ and to bringing FAM trips to Guyana,” Haralsingh assured.

He observed, “This is one of the best ways or most effective ways of getting international attention to Guyana and in promoting Guyana as a destination by getting Guyana into the catalogues of major companies.”

The Director noted, that without distribution and building an international sales network, it is going to be extremely difficult for small and new destinations such as Guyana to get worldwide attention.

“So we are very happy and thankful for Wilderness and the other partners for bringing in such an exclusive FAM tour, all of whom basically specialise in travel to Latin America and South America as well,” he expressed.

Tony Thorne of Wilderness Australia said, that Wilderness Explorers have been operating FAM trips for 15 years as long its existence.

“It is one of the most cost effective ways for us to increase tourism to Guyana,” he reiterated.

“If we bring people down, they see Guyana first hand, they go back enthusiastic about the product and of course it helps them to sell, having seen and experience what we have to offer,” he asserted.

Taking note of the current global recession, he stated, “It is tough times and it is great to see, that we have the support of operators coming here to look at how they can sell Guyana.”

Noting the importance of such initiatives, he stressed, that hoteliers, transportation companies, airlines, resorts and lodges as well are some of the entities that benefits through selling tours.

Chris Parrott, a founder owner of Journey Latin America, the largest UK operator to South America said his company has been sending people to Guyana for a number of years and noted, “It is a small destination compared with some of the others in Latin America but it is growing and there is a certain type of clients who likes what Guyana has to offer.”

“Guyana has got a lot to offer…,” Parrott exhorted and noted that Guyana received a lot of promotion through the BBC three part series, the Lost Land of the Jaguar.

On this note, he observed, “Probably before that a very large proportion of the British population had either never heard of Guyana or if they had, did not know where it was and certainly did not have any idea what it had to offer. That has changed and that type of tourism is growing.”

Sue Morkill of the Last Frontiers, who also specialised in trips to Latin America said, “Several of my colleagues from the office have already been down here, on FAM trips which have really helped us to promote Guyana.”

Observing that Guyana is quite different from other parts of South America and indeed attracts a particular type of client, she said, “I think the best way that we can really speak honestly and openly to the clients and find out is to come here and experience it for ourselves,” she explained.

Thomas Shearman of Andean Trails said, “We only do South America as well and we normally only specialise in countries with the Andes in it but we started to sell Guyana because we thought it would be of interest to people because of the unique rainforests that you have got here.”

“We have certainly noticed since that BBC programme (Lost Land of the Jaguar), that we have been getting a few more inquires from people. Certainly their interest has been peaked by what Guyana has got to offer,” he revealed.

James Pollard from Trips Worldwide said, “I am looking to spread my knowledge and we normally feature places like Borneo very well which is a great seller and I know it is very different here, but it is still a rainforests area.”

“My thinking is that if we can try and cultivate it like we did Borneo and we do get a lot of our sales out of Borneo, then people might want to come here as well,” he stated.

“I think Guyana offers as much if not more than Borneo in many respects so hopefully we can promote it in that fashion and it can be just as successful as Borneo,” he anticipated.

Angela Gold of the Adventure Company, who is accompanied by her husband, Clive, a photographer, expressing optimism said her group conducts worldwide trips with Latin America and India being the most popular destinations and their team consists of birdwatchers and wildlife experts.

“Unfortunately, we do not have anybody that I know of that have been to Guyana…I really do think that it is going to be invaluable – myself coming here and then spreading the good news when I get back,” she stated.

Some of the places on the packed agenda include Baganara Island resort; Bartica; Guyana’s premier tourists’ attraction, the majestic Kaieteur Falls; Fair View; Iwokrama; Surama; Rock View Lodge in Annai; Karanambu Ranch; and also a tour of the highlights of the capital city Georgetown.