‘GUYANA – South America Undiscovered’ is fast becoming the destination of choice for visitors.The Ministry of Tourism and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) have reported a record high of 46,369 arrivals in the first quarter of this year. This translates into a 13.9 percent increase over last year’s arrivals.
In a brief interview with Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali, he explained, “It is clear that the country’s interest in tourism is very aggressive at this moment. This steady increase is testimony to the continued investment in the country’s tourism sector and the aggressive marketing strategies used.”
It is evident from the figures and the overall trends that visitor arrivals keep climbing, and according to Minister Ali, it is expected to continue along this trajectory. He noted that the growth in the sector will be supported by several major investments, including the recently opened Marriott Hotel and the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, among many other initiatives.
Mr Indranauth Haralsingh, Director of the GTA, said the increase in arrivals from Central and South America, which accounted for 15% of total market share, was a result of the boost in airlift from Conviasa, Copa Airlines and Insel Air, and the marketing initiatives of the Guyana Tourism Authority, THAG and the Private Sector.
He explained, “Conviasa continues flying to Guyana from Venezuela, Insel Air has also commenced flights direct from the Dutch Caribbean, such as Aruba and Curacao. In addition, with the introduction of direct flights by COPA, we have seen an increase in airlift to Guyana.”
The third and fourth biggest generating markets were Canada and Europe, with 13% and 6% respectively, the Director noted.
The current year-to-date (January to March 2015) summary indicates that visitor arrivals increased by 26.1% with a total of 18,464 visitors, compared to the 14,648 for the same period in 2014.
According to the GTA Director, these figures can be attributed to Guyana continuing to attract more international recognition through films and documentaries.
The country has maintained attendance at key travel and trade shows, and the Guyana Tourism Authority has intensified its marketing strategies. Haralsingh also noted that Guyana is in talks with more reputable airlines.
“This is a tangible return on our investments,” he pronounced.
The Unites States (US) remained at the top market for a share of 39 % of the total tourist arrivals during first quarter of this year, while visitors from the Caribbean accounted for 24% of the total arrivals.
(Rebecca Ganesh)
