GENERAL Executive Management Services Incorporated (GEMS Inc.), through the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, yesterday launched the sixth edition of the handbook, ‘Guyana, Where and What’, in the Ministry’s South Road, Georgetown boardroom.

Speaking on the occasion, the publisher, Mrs. Gem Madhoo-Nascimento said most of the publication is very standard, as it consists of what Guyana has to offer and what the tourists want to see.
She noted that this year’s edition has fewer pages, because there is an additional component, a pullout supplement, which features maps of Guyana and Georgetown.
Madhoo-Nascimento also indicated that the map of Georgetown is very expansive, as it includes areas such as South Ruimveldt Park, Lamaha Springs, Liliendaal and Subryanville.
Another additional feature is Rewa Village fishing, as this pastime is becoming increasingly popular in Guyana.
The cover, used before, features the significant Jaguar and Kaieteur Falls, which, she pointed out, although standard, are the things that attract people to Guyana.
She confessed that there are some mistakes in the book, but said they will be corrected before it is uploaded onto the new website, which is not yet up and running and would include advertisements.

Free distribution
She said the handbook will be available for free distribution at hotels, resorts, restaurants, travel agencies but the main distribution point will be the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
It will also be distributed internationally, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) at various trade fairs overseas. Copies, Madhoo-Nascimento said, would also be available at the GTA and Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) office.
Also speaking at the launching was Acting Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Irfaan Ali, who said the handbook has wide and extensive coverage, and it is for that reason the GTA and the Ministry supports the initiative.
“This is what sets this handbook apart from many others across the region, in that it does not only highlight the location, but it goes into historical contexts, or what you would term ‘educational tourism’, which is very essential now,” he said.
He added that the book not only offers tourists information on the availability of products and services, but also creates in them a sense of wanting to be in those places highlighted.
“..and I think ‘Where and What’, as the name suggests, tries to create that impression on tourists of wanting to be there; understanding where it is and what it offers. And that is what I think this handbook really delivers to us,” Ali posited.
He said he has seen last year’s edition being used in some schools, and it is also used by Guyanese locally.
Minister Ali seized the opportunity to commend Madhoo-Nascimento for  once again creating an amazing piece of work, which he said will significantly aid in the enhancement of the tourism sector.
“I want to congratulate Gem Madhoo-Nascimento for another amazing piece of work, and for finding the time to put together this publication. We at the Ministry have no difficulty in supporting this initiative, as we recognize the far-reaching benefits and extensive coverage this book receives,” Minister Ali said.
He also noted that the cover consists of key symbols of Guyana’s tourism product; symbols such as the jaguar, which signifies the strength and character of the Guyanese people. The greenery, on the other hand, is symbolic of the embodiment of our nature, adventure and low-carbon-driven economy, while the Kaieteur Falls speaks to the grandeur of the site.
He said that as with the other editions, initially 20,000 copies were to be printed but, recognising the high demand for it halfway through the year, they will print more.
Ali said he would like to see hotels making more efficient use of the handbook, in terms of replacing them when stocks are finished.
He made the point that not only will it serve to complement other local publications, such as the GTA’s monthly newsletter, the Explore Guyana Magazine, and the recently conceptualized Invest Guyana Magazine, which will have as its primary focus the Tourism Sector.