MINISTER of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Irfaan Ali, is urging all Guyanese, in the Diaspora to come and “rediscover” the warmth and beauty of the destination.
He made this call while addressing thousands of Guyanese and Canadians gathered at the opening of the Guyana Independence Festival in Toronto last week.

“Your home, our home, beautiful Guyana awaits you,” Ali boldly announced.
The Tourism Minister also spoke of the plethora of opportunities that exist for investment and told of the strides being made to develop the tourism industry, including the investments in the Marriott Hotel and the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
On this note, Ali pointed to the increasing international exposure the destination has received over the last few years; these include a five- page spread in Fortune 500 Magazine, documentaries on BBC and the Discovery Channel.
A trade and tourism expo formed part of the one-day event, and this attracted wide participation from businesses in Guyana, as representatives from the companies journeyed to Toronto to take part in the event.
Exhibitors included the Roraima Group of Companies, Princess Hotel and Casino, Hurakabra Resort, the Guyana Tourism Authority, the Guyana Office for Investment, Banks. D.I.H., The Small Business Bureau,  Mohammed’s Enterprise, Leather Arts, Fly Jamaica and  several  Guyanese, travel, food, art and craft producers.
Networking Opportunities
The trip also provided the opportunity for the local businesses to connect with distributers in Canada; this was possible through the Breakfast Networking event arranged by the Guyana Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism.
This activity was staged on June 24 at the Radisson Hotel, and saw over 50 participants interacting with businesses in Canada.
In his address at the event, Minister Ali reiterated the need for more businesses to make the linkages with external markets, if their businesses are to grow; this in turn will create more avenues for investment.
He noted too that many travel agents and tour operators in Canada will also be given the chance to network and to harness the potential that exists in the Guyanese market.
At this point, Minister Ali praised the efforts of Caribbean Airlines in filling the gap that existed after Delta Airlines exited the Guyana market.
As part of the event, several companies made special presentations, including Roraima Group, Hurukabra Resort, Fly Jamaica and the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG).
A special meeting was also organised with the Craft Producers that attended the event.