THE local tourism sector will be boosted with the implementation of a three-phase programme to be executed by the Ministries of Tourism of Guyana and Argentina. Argentina is considered a leading tourism destination in South America.

Minister of Tourism (ag), Irfaan Ali and Ambassador of the Argentine Republic, Luis Martino informed the media, yesterday, of initiatives to enhance the tourism sector through training in tourism and management of protected areas.

Following Argentina’s participation in last year’s GuyExpo, that country’s Tourism Minister visited Guyana and held fruitful discussion on mutual beneficial projects for both countries. The Argentine Tourism Minister, during his visit in December, met with the Ministers of Natural Resources and Tourism, and the private sector.

During a media briefing, which was held at the Ministry of Tourism’s Boardroom, Minister Ali said, “I am very delighted to be here as this demonstrates the further collaboration and partnership between these two countries, extending not only our friendship, but our economic collaboration for the betterment of the people of our countries.”

Minister Ali said this initiative in relation to tourism started some time ago in 2011 when the Government announced a strategy to expand Guyana’s products in South and Latin America.

“We made it clear that a number of steps were needed to ensure that we enter into this exciting and large market which has tremendous potential. Our strategy was to first ensure we have the infrastructure that will allow access to the market, including flights and air capacity and to commence training for institutional capacity,” Minister Ali said.

The training and marketing capacity, the Minister said, would help Guyana in marketing promotions and product development hence the successful negotiation to have Copa Airlines fly to Guyana.
Speaking on the area of training, the minister pointed out that only recently several front line staff from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) benefitted from courses in conversational Spanish. He said the ministry is partnering with a number of other South American countries including Argentina, for locals to learn conversational Spanish while more training for staff within the tourism sector is ongoing at the Venezuelan Institute.
Other spin-off benefits from this collaboration will include student exchange programmes, trade shows, national park management, and private sector cooperation.
“We can take lead from Argentina; they have some of the finest regulations and best practices, best capacity for the management of national parks and we can learn from them, this can be used as a starting point,” Minister Ali said.
Meanwhile, the Argentine Ambassador, in his remarks, said this was a good opportunity to renew the link between Guyana and Argentina.
“Indeed it is really an opportunity to highlight a new episode on the path of further integrating and cooperating in the area of tourism and protected areas between the two countries.”
The Ambassador stated that in 2013, Guyana and Argentina began developing projects of technical cooperation for mutual benefits in the area of tourism and protected areas.
The Argentine Tourism Ministry has approved financing through the Argentina Fund of the Horizontal Cooperation which will see the manifestation of a three-phase project. This will cater for, “ a visit to take place in Argentina with Guyanese expertise with two GTA representatives, they will take part in a week-long exchange with expertise and technical staff. They will travel to other parts of the country to visit places, and to share knowledge and successful practices in order to develop capacity.”
The second phase deals with the hosting of a Spanish course for GTA staff and translation of promotional material to enable Guyanese representatives to participate in the International Tourism Fair in Argentina.
The third phase of the project deals with protected areas and technical assistance.
“All these initiatives follow into the broad goal of increasing the depth and scope of the technical cooperation between Guyana and Argentina, in this particular case in tourism and environmental protection and natural resources, and we are hoping this represents the kick-off of a very fruitful and sustained cooperation relations,” the Argentine Ambassador said.
This is the second recent initiative embarked on in the area of tourism linking Guyana with South America. Guyana signed an agreement with the Chile Government in the area of eco-tourism and poverty reduction through a South-South initiative, recently.

(GINA)