DEVELOPMENT of Guyana’s fledgling tourism industry was the centre of discussions yesterday when President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Paul Stephenson, met President Donald Ramotar at his office. Stephenson, who visited for a formal introduction to Guyana’s new Head of State, left the meeting satisfied after finding common ground with the president on the way forward for the sector.
“Listening to the man, (His Excellency) he understands the sector. I think he understands where it needs to go and I am looking forward to a bright future after the meeting,” Stephenson told the Government Information Agency (GINA) in an invited comment.
THAG launched the latest edition of the Explore Guyana Magazine ‘The Call of the Wild’ in December last, which Stephenson described as one of the main marketing tools for Guyana on the international scene.
Published by the Advertising and Marketing Services (AMS) the magazine showcases a number of optional tourist activities and destinations that one can be involved in throughout the length and breadth of Guyana.
At the launch, Stephenson had proposed that the contributions the tourism sector has made over the years be examined with a view to having the sector recognized as a major budgetary item.
He also made a pitch for tourism marketing specialists to be brought into the country to assist Guyana in building its technical capacity for marketing the sector.
Stephenson, who is also proprietor of the Cara Suites Hotel and Conference Centre, is pleased with the success of the magazine in reaching its targeted audience, and expressed the hope that the investment has a reciprocal benefit of influencing its readership to visit Guyana.