THE Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) is doing a number of things to boost the local industry, according to its Director, Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh.

He told reporters on Wednesday last that the agency has been supporting events across the country such as regattas, rodeos, the Rupununi Expo, motor racing and celebrity occasions staged at the Guyana National Stadium and elsewhere, even the much anticipated Christmas Fair.
He emphasised that GTA provides active support for almost all of them and initiated the ‘Rediscover Home’ campaign, which encourages overseas-based Guyanese to return, explore and enjoy Guyana.
Haralsingh said GTA is working with some Private Sector companies and tour operatives, encouraging the latter to put on special tours. For example, the Roraima Group has a promotion, through which one can board an airplane at Ogle International Airport and fly over Georgetown.

INNOVATIVE
He said such activities are new, innovative and very creative, as a lot of Guyanese have never travelled on an aircraft.
Haralsingh assured that boarding a plane and seeing the city from the air is quite a wonderful experience.
He said that offering is continuing and Roraima Airways also provides packages for other local tourist needs, like weekend tours to Kaieteur Falls and other places in Guyana.
Noting that some people lament about expense, Haralsingh suggested that, if persons really want to go on those tours, they can save bit by bit, cut down on the things that are less necessary and make certain sacrifices to raise the money for the excursions.
He pointed out that the community recently hosted the Rockstone Fish Festival, which was an opportunity for many Guyanese to go to another part of the country, spend time in an indigenous village and be involved with a tourism based product, even sampling fishes that one would never be able to savour at home.
Haralsingh described the experience as being delightful, where persons chose to camp, an activity undertaken during Tourism Awareness Month that proved very beneficial and portrayed it as very successful for the Ministry of Tourism and the GTA.
He said the GTA has also been promoting outdoor and overnight camping on various islands in the Essequibo River, where tours are offered by Evergreen Adventures, among other operatives.
He encouraged more local tour operators to come on board and assist Guyanese people with their touring needs.
Haralsingh said he has seen many improvements which bolster local tourism, such as roads and more vehicles being imported into the country.
He also acknowledged that the new ferry boats plying the Essequibo River are more comfortable and appealed to Guyanese to be adventurous and look at ways and means by which they can travel to the different parts of Guyana, as there is so much to discover.

MODERNISATION
He said, with the modernisation of things in Guyana, one can go to Parika for a fun day and visit the market and more places in that area, take a boat from the stelling and sail to the Essequibo Islands touring other places and seeing community tourism projects, such as the Pineapple Project.
There are so many other places to go in this beautiful country and events are the heartbeat of any destination, Haralsingh offered.
He said, as Christmas approaches, many other occurrences would be taking place and he urged persons to be supportive of them.
Haralsingh said GTA is collaborating with many operators and encouraging them to give back to Guyanese who travel to places such as the Rupununi to tell tales and share the experiences on their return.
Many will become interested when they view photographs and videos on the Internet and by other means, he observed.
Mentioning the Christmas trees around Guyana, like the very large one at Rahaman’s Park, Greater Georgetown, Haralsingh said it would be beneficial if more of the same size can be put up in Berbice and Essequibo, too.