–given projected 15% increase in tourist arrivals
DESTINATION Guyana can expect up to a 15% increase in arrivals for 2014, signalling yet another record-breaking year for the fledgling tourism industry.
This is according to Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh, who made the pronouncement recently while noting the various avenues available for increasing investment, marketing and promotion in the sector.“One positive indicator of a destination’s performance is the continued increase in arrivals. We are predicting as much as a 15% boost in arrivals for this year,” Haralsingh said, adding that he came to the conclusion by compiling data collected at all major ports of entry in Guyana, including Moleson Creek, Lethem, and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
Haralsingh said that often, people do not recognise the significant impact increasing tourist arrivals have on a country and its economy, such as the creation of more job opportunities, foreign investment, expenditure and revenue flow.
“This is healthy for any economy, and it is a good thing that the tourist arrivals in Guyana are growing,” he said.

ON THE RISE

He alluded to the advent of two new airlines, CONVIASA and COPA, on the local market as being among developments to have already signalled a productive and healthy start to the new year. Other developments are the hosting of a Tourism Stakeholder Forum; the opening of new hotels and restaurants; and the continuation of several projects that will see the further expansion of the industry, among them the Marriott Hotel, and the CJIA Expansion Project.
He also noted that Guyana is currently working to establish a “healthy” cross-border tourism relationship with particularly Suriname and Brazil through the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) level, and will also promote multi-destination tourism.
For 2013, arrivals from Suriname accounted for 14% of arrival figures, while arrivals from Brazil accounted for seven per cent of overall arrivals. And alluding to the successful marketing campaign undertaken by the Tourism Ministry and GTA in the past, Mr Haralsingh gave the assurance that partnerships will be strengthened with the private sector and tourism stakeholders as Destination Guyana is presented to the world.

BEST IN THE WORLD

He said too that efforts will be intensified to attract more travel writers and film and documentary producers to Guyana, as this is one of the most effective ways of capturing the attention of the world.
“National Geographic Traveler magazine has named Guyana on its annual Best of the World list, featuring 20 destinations to visit in 2014,” he declared. “This is as a direct result of one company, Wilderness Explorers tour itineraries to Guyana. We have indeed captured the attention of the world,” he added.
That said, he urged all tourism stakeholders, the media especially, to use the foregoing accolade to the fullest, and to leverage being recognised as one of the “Best in the World” destinations.
Noting that in the past, Guyana has hosted a series of FAM (familiarisation) Trips, and facilitated the BBC, National Geographic and the History Channel, Discovery Channel and Blue Paw among others to film snippets or entire series here, he said that more such opportunities will be created this year, generating even more interest in the destination.
Over the last 10 years, visitor arrivals to Destination Guyana have been increasing significantly, and in 2013, it was one of three countries in the Caribbean to record double-digit growth, with a 13.3% increase in arrivals.