MINISTER of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad has said he feels the State can manage its own airline to break the current monopoly and ensure that air fares do not rise.
Speaking at the kick-off of the Eighth Pakaraima Mountain Safari on Monday, in the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) office, Sophia, Georgetown, he alluded to President Bharrat Jagdeo’s recent hint about a possibility of the State getting back into the airline business.
Prashad noted that the issue was raised “because of unfair treatment that we are getting from Caribbean Airlines and others, but especially Caribbean Airlines charging us exorbitant air fares and they are increasing prices willy nilly and, at the same time, their service is deteriorating.”
He said State intervention can help to make sure that more and more visitors, particularly Guyanese, can come back and enjoy what Destination Guyana has to offer.
Prashad said, just last week, the German cruise ship ‘Vista Mar’ docked in Port Georgetown and the passengers were very happy with what they saw and promised to spread the good word.
He said that all of that is a result of the international marketing effort such as participation in World Travel Market in London, England and the International Travel Bourst in Berlin, Germany.
Prashad said tourism is being promoted through activities like the Pakaraima Mountain Safari, which is getting bigger every year with more interest being shown.
“It is a truly international event,” he concluded, noting that it is becoming easier with more facilities and better accommodations along the way.
Prashad said, according to a Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) document, there was an occupancy rate of 78 per cent last year which was very good.
He added: “As more and more people travel into our resorts, the demand for better facilities is there and we are responding to that.”

LACKING
“To support what we are doing now in Guyana, we need a whole range of supporting services and one area that is lacking in is the area of international travel,” Prashad pointed out.
He said there are many Guyanese who have not been into the interior and some of them, while they have seen Kaieteur and Orinduik Falls and Iwokrama rainforest, they have never been to the Pakaraimas, which are really beautiful.
Prashad said his ministry officials recently visited Corentyne River to look at Cow Falls and other areas to promote tourism in Berbice.
He acknowledged that some work has been done at Number 63 Beach but disclosed that more is earmarked to commence there shortly, as about 20,000 people are expected to converge there on Easter Monday.
Prashad reported that the five benabs, three pavilions and two sets of toilet facilities were refurbished and two changing rooms constructed, towards improvement at the major tourist attraction in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne).
“We are expanding tourism across the length and breadth of Guyana,” Prashad explained.
Highlighting the country’s natural, unspoilt beauty, he challenged investors to concentrate not only on hotels and casinos in the city but also on improving the standards at resorts in tourist areas where bird watchers and other naturalists go.
“In fact, I used to say that I would like us to be compared with Costa Rica and Belize. I would still like that to happen, in terms of the number of tourists that we can get coming into Guyana but, in terms of wildlife and rainforest, Belize and Costa Rica put together do not have what we have to offer. So we are blessed,” Prashad declared.
He said there is no doubt Guyana is probably one of the nicest places in the world, reminding that it is part of the Amazon, promoting adventure, ecological and nature tourism.