FORT Island, located on the Essequibo River, came alive Saturday as a bird watching tour and bird guide training session were both conducted there by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) as part of the Tourism Awareness Month 2014 activities.

Eighteen participants, including persons from Evergreen Adventures and Hurakabra Tours, along with residents of Fort Island participated in the Essequibo Bird Guide Training.
Leon Moore, designated trainer, who was the GTA’s designated 2013 Tour Guide of the Year, expertly facilitated the basic-level training session on Birds of the Essequibo, important birding areas of Guyana, birds endemic to the Guiana Shield, parts of a bird, bird families, qualities of the good bird guide and pointing out birds to the participants.

BIRD SANCTUARY
Meanwhile, on the same day representatives from the Mexican Embassy along with the Indian High Commissioner participated in a bird watching activity in the Botanical Gardens in Georgetown.
The Botanical Gardens, in the capital city of Georgetown, was declared a ‘Bird Sanctuary’ on November 18, 2011. It is an important birding area in Guyana, with a land mass of 185 acres and home to over 189 bird species from 41 families.

NICHE MARKET
Bird watching is one of the fastest growing niche markets in the world. Over the years Guyana has been actively promoting bird watching as a niche tourism product and has succeeded in ensuring that more than 100 international companies are selling Guyana as a birding destination.
Participants expressed their delight at having the opportunity to spot several species including the Wattled Jacana, Tropical Kingbird, Yellow Oriole, and the elusive blood-coloured Woodpecker, which is mainly found in Suriname and Guyana. Guiding the group at the Botanical Gardens was Waldike Prince.
Speaking recently at the launch of Tourism Month, Tourism Minister (ag) Irfaan Ali emphasised the need for Guyanese to be reminded of the importance of the sector in Guyana’s future.
“The growth of this sector cannot be achieved alone, we need partners in order to move forward,” he said. He explained also that Guyanese need to experience their own product and as such during this month of activities many would be given such an opportunity.
He explained that this sector is one of the most important multi-functional sectors since it creates employment, attracts investments, contributes to economic growth and gross domestic product. It is also deemed an export industry and strangely nothing except memories and pictures are exported.
Tourism Awareness Month 2014 is being held under the theme, ‘Tourism Entrepreneurs and Ambassadors Mobilised’.