Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2008, there were over 922 million international tourist arrivals, with a growth of 1.9% as compared to 2007. International tourism receipts grew to US$944 billion (euro 642 billion) in 2008, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 1.8%.
As a result of the late-2000s recession, international travel demand suffered a strong slowdown beginning in June 2008, with growth in international tourism arrivals worldwide falling to 2% during the boreal summer months. This negative trend intensified during 2009, exacerbated in some countries due to the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus, resulting in a worldwide decline of 4% in 2009 to 880 million international tourists arrivals, and an estimated 6% decline in international tourism receipts.
Tourism is vital for many countries, such as Egypt, Greece, Lebanon, Spain and Thailand, and many island nations, such as The Bahamas, Fiji, Maldives and the Seychelles, due to the large intake of money for businesses with their goods and services and the opportunity for employment in the service industries associated with tourism. These service industries include transportation services, such as airlines, cruise ships and taxis, hospitality services, such as accommodations, including hotels and resorts, and entertainment venues, such as amusement parks, casinos, shopping malls, various music venues and the theatre. (Source: Wikipedia)

Our country has a tremendous tourism potential largely untapped as the local tourist industry is in relative infancy but in recent years, through the private sector/government partnership. One of the major reasons for our tourist industry to be in a relative infancy is because under the previous government scant or no attention was paid to this important sector. In addition the national economy collapsed which have rise to severe austerity measures including foreign exchange restrictions and severe cut back of imports. And under the state controlled economy where over 80% of the national economy was owned by the state there was little or no room private investors-foreign or local.
As a result our tourism lagged far behind our sister CARICOM states. But today the tourism landscape has been vastly transformed because in recent years local entrepreneurs have been investing heavily in building resorts in some of the most scenic spots around the country, tourism training has been ongoing through the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, GTA / THAG and other stakeholders. So Guyana is now positioning itself for a huge take-off of this industry which could become one of the largest players in the national economy as from the above statistics it is clear how a huge player is tourism in the global economy.
In this context the current visit by popular ‘One Caribbean Weather’ and WSEE TV, including weather forecaster Joey Stevens and his puppet parrot, Bob, to produce shows on Guyana’s tourism that will be aired on CBS and the ‘One Caribbean Weather’ channels is a very significant boost and one of the best things in recent times that has happened for the sector because indeed Guyana’s unique tourism products need greater marketing and global advertising and publicity as many foreigners still stigmatise Guyana with the infamous Jonestown tragedy and do not realize how the country has moved on since then.

They did an aerial shoot of Georgetown and toured the city yesterday as part of the one-week stay to produce two half-hour shows for a United States audience estimated at some 30 million.
Visits to Kaieteur Falls, the Iwokrama Rainforest Centre, the Essequibo Islands and other parts of the country are on the schedule, officials said.

Mr. Stevens, WSEE’s Chief Forecaster, on the website onecaribbeanweather.com, describes Guyana as “The Lungs of the World,” noting that it is doing great with a low-carbon development strategy, and that President Bharrat Jagdeo was recently conferred with the United Nations 2010 ‘Champion of the Earth’ award.

Stevens told reporters at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport that featuring a country on his weather show helps to boost its tourism sector, and give positive recognition to what tourists can expect when visiting.

What was important, he said, was that the rest of the world will be seeing what Guyana is all about and the One Caribbean Weather programme will put Guyana at the forefront so that others can experience its rich flavour and culture.

“We will be showing the world what is here in Guyana to entice them to visit and experience Guyana for themselves. I have been told that many people visit Guyana to see all the natural things here, like the waterfalls and rainforest. Guyana is different from the rest of the Caribbean with its natural beauty,” he noted.
It is a pity that foreigners see our country in such positive light but some of our own nationals who write daily newspaper columns only spew venom and attempt to paint only ugly pictures of their homeland.