“Enhancing growth through competitiveness,” is the premise on which Guyana’s growth, continued support and strategy to expand opportunities for investment will be highlighted at this year’s  GuyExpo billed for September 29-October 2 at the Sophia Exhibition Complex. During the launch of the country’s premier exposition and trade fair last Friday, Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Manniram Prashad noted that since its introduction in 1995, the event has provided a platform for small entrepreneurs to highlight their products and services.
In addition, he said GuyExpo offers entrepreneurs an opportunity to participate in international expositions and to ‘tap’ into those markets as well, particularly providing the prospect for local craft producers to expand their operations.
In testimony to this, more than 200 craft producers will be showcasing their products at this year’s exposition and trade fair.
“GuyExpo brings out the local talent and it is an opportunity to showcase what we have,” Prashad stated.
GuyExpo has also contributed significantly to Guyana’s tourism development, and has played an integral role in its distinction regionally and globally with respect to business competitiveness, quality local products and services, and hospitality, the minister posited.
An average of 30,000 persons is expected to visit the exhibition site every night for the exposition, which has initiated several similar events, including the Berbice Expo, the Parika Expo, and the Rupununi Expo.

Expo Importance
The Tourism Minister has consistently highlighted the importance of Expositions to collectively contributing to bolstering domestic tourism, and to the overall development of the economy.
“This concept of showcasing and promoting different areas in Guyana is growing, we have GuyExpo, this has grown into one of the biggest expositions in the entire Guyana, which lasts over six days then we have the Berbice Expo, the Linden Expo, Rupununi Expo and there was one in Mahdia as well, “ he explained during a press briefing last month.
He noted that all of these are events that have evolved over the years including, the introduction of the International Building Expo, a huge event that has been highly successful since its introduction last year.
As to the importance of these occasions, he said: “These are major expos which have proven to be highly successful, so we want to go to the length and breadth of Guyana to ensure that people in different communities are exposed to the events.”
According to Prashad, foreigners as well as many overseas-based Guyanese, witnessing the continued development of the country over the last couple of years, are coming to Guyana to take advantage of all of the opportunities now available.
The minister reaffirmed that the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce will continue to work very closely with organizers of these events to promote local products, which is what the concept of these expositions is all about.
He noted too that as a result of this exposure, both locally and internationally, the country’s visitor arrival figures continue to show positive trends.
There was a 3.3 percent increase in arrivals for July, this year, over the same period last year and compared to 2010 for January, a 3 percent rise; a 1.4 per cent decline in February; 25.3 per cent decline in March; a 7.1 per cent increase in April; a 13.2 per cent rise in May; and a 7.5 per cent increase in June – making it an overall 0.7 per cent increase at the end of July.
Prashad emphasised that the continued positive trends show confidence in the destination and points to success in the marketing and promotion by the Tourism Ministry, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and other industry stakeholders.