– Haralsingh
THE Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) have managed to showcase the unique and impressive attractions of ‘Destination Guyana’ in sync with the importance of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) at the just concluded GuyExpo 2009.

the GTA booth at GuyExpo 2009.

The accomplishment was acknowledged after the curtains came down Tuesday on Guyana’s premier trade and investment exposition at its traditional venue, the National Exhibition Centre, Sophia, Georgetown, under the theme ‘Promoting Business in a Low Carbon Environment”.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle about the tourism booth, which was strategically positioned in the main auditorium, GTA Director, Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh said the collaboration between his institution and the Ministry made it the most visited, the most talked about and the most photographed.

He said people used it as an opportunity to take a lot of pictures of its beautiful and pristine background depicting nature and tourist attractions.

“For one, we have tried to capture and present the tourism attractions of Guyana and that was mainly to focus on the flora, fauna and our indigenous people,” Haralsingh said.

According to him, another central attraction on show emphasised the exhibition theme, knowing that tourism is one of the major beneficiaries of the LCDS.

“We know that, once we protect and preserve our rainforests, we would be protecting life within that forest along with its people and, for that reason, we had put in the centre of our booth an indigenous hut with an indigenous background,” he explained.

Haralsingh said on the first night of the six-day event, GTA staff even dressed in indigenous clothing to reinforce the fact that indigenous people are about the best example of a low carbon lifestyle and it is something that they have been doing from time immemorial.

“This is how they have been living and it is a good lesson for all of us as we are talking about climate change and its impact and as we are striving to reduce our footprint.”

He said persons can learn from the indigenous how they have, over the years, reduced their footprint and have been living in harmony with nature.

Central attraction
“That is why the central attraction of our booth has been the indigenous people,” he reiterated, adding that the GTA was able to show value-added wood products, such as art and craft and, last Sunday evening, had a live demonstration of wood carving and sculpting with an artist from Burrowes School of Art carving a statue of Mahatma Gandhi.

“It kind of captivated a lot of people’s interest and so many persons were there just to watch – that was art at the best you can say,” Haralsingh contended.

He said the entire booth captured the giants of Guyana in life-size images of such as the jaguar, arapaima, monkey, birds etc. which was also captivating.

About the booth design, Haralsingh said they raised the bar, with more of an international quality.

The centre pillar displayed a picture of President Bharrat Jagdeo who has been in the forefront in the climate change fight, as well as the critical components of the LCDS, demonstrated in a huge tree presenting the economic value of the rainforest to the nation and the world.

Around that pillar were pictures and graphics depicting hydropower which is going to be one of the benefits Guyana can obtain if it secures payments for its forest services and can boost manufacturing and productive capacity in addition to making energy cheaper for household consumption.

Haralsingh said agriculture was depicted because the strategy is about converting intermediate savannahs and other non-forest land into plantation style cultivation.

In addition, a quiz was conducted and persons answered a question on the LCDS to be participate in a final draw to win trips to Kaieteur Falls.

“We decided that we needed to do something interactive to help sensitise and educate Guyanese about the LCDS and we found that this was very effective,” he remarked, noting the assistance of the Office of Climate Change.

Haralsingh said President Jagdeo and many other Government Ministers visited the booth and, from what he could say, they were very impressed.

He said many people are in need of tourism information and fliers, postures, maps and brochures on Guyana’s tourist attraction were distributed because, at this time, arrivals in Guyana have increased by at least 11 per cent.

“The more information Guyanese can have, the more they will persuade their visiting family and friends to take them to some places or encourage them to view some of the attractions. So, all in all, it has been very good for the GTA and the Ministry of Tourism,” Haralsingh concluded