…greeted by steel pan music and excited about what the country has to offer
THE first cruise ships slated to arrive in Guyana for 2011, the MV Saga Pearl 2, docked at the Guyana National Shipping Corporation wharf yesterday, with 352 passengers on board. The cruise liner departed Southampton in England for a 77-night journey that will take passengers across the Atlantic, calling on nearly 20 islands and Guyana in the Caribbean, before sailing along the Amazon.
Tourism Minister Manniram Prashad, and President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana, Paul Stephenson, along with a team from the Ministry of Tourism and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) were invited on board to welcome the visitors to our country.
Minister Prashad noted that this is only the first cruise ship to arrive for the year and at least four others are expected by the end of April.
“The ships have started to come early this year and we feel that it was the marketing strategy used during the international trade shows, and especially at the World Travel Market in London, that contributed to this”, he said.
He explained that another ship is due here in three weeks, which is an indication that Guyana is fast becoming a destination of choice for persons living in Europe.
As for the implications of this for the destination, he said, “We are happy about this because it is a repeat visit, which means that the cruise liners and especially the tourists are very satisfied and the fact that they are returning is a good indication of this.”
Continuing, Prashad said the continued visits by the cruise liners will serve to improve Guyana’s recognition internationally as the ideal tourist destination in South America and the Caribbean.
“Cruise ships mostly come when they want to see the Amazon; Guyana is one of the eight countries that form the Amazon Basin and we are happy that we were chosen,” the Tourism Minister remarked.
He noted too that Guyana as a destination of choice is unique in that it does not offer blue waters and white sandy beaches, but rather the tourists are fascinated by its history and rich cultural heritage .
“From what the captain told me, they are happy with this destination and they will definitely be back again,” he affirmed.
Minister Prashad lauded the efforts of THAG and Wilderness Explorers in promoting the destination as a port of call.
“We are grateful for the work that you are doing to organize the cruises as we all would recall a time when there were none at all; but now more ships and yachts are coming in,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Captain of the M.V Saga Pearl 2, David Warden Owen, explained that the ship arrived in Guyana yesterday morning after leaving Southampton on January 4.
He said, “This is part of our grand journey around the Caribbean and the Amazon and we were in Suriname before we came here.”
Captain Owen explained that most of the cruise liners are now diversifying and looking for different niches in order to offer their passengers more adventure.
He noted that Guyana is in a perfect position to capitalise on this, and said, “You are in a perfect position to offer this for ships coming from the Caribbean and going into the Amazon.”

Adventurers disembark
Despite the intermittent showers yesterday morning, the passengers braved their way on to the GNSC wharf to board the tour buses that took them to various destinations around the city, and a DDL Factory tour.
As they disembarked, they were greeted by the infectious sounds of the steel pan and many even swayed to the rhythms as they waited.
One such excited traveller, David Shepherd, who was on his way to the City Zoo, said that he was delighted to finally arrive in Guyana after hearing so much about the country and wanting to visit for a long time.
“I am on my way to the zoo to see the big jaguar now, and I am very excited to see what the country has to offer,’ he said.
Eveleen Haines explained that she was surprised to see all of the development just at the wharf alone, which she said is an indication of growth.
She said, “When we sailed in and I saw all of the containers I thought to myself this is a very prosperous country and I decided that I wanted to see much more of it.”
Ms. Haines explained that she intends to visit the DDL factory to see where the rum is manufactured.
“I heard that Guyana has the best rum in the world and I want to see that for myself,” she stated.
The visitors were entertained on the wharf and were given the opportunity to purchase beverages and craft.
The GTA also displayed maps, brochures and magazines and the staffers also served a City Tour Guides for the various visits.