Are we going to be ready for le deluge?

NOT so long ago seven Caribbean journalists travelled to Guyana to take a first-hand look at the country’s tourism potential. It was a revelation. It was awesome.The amazing topography and vast natural resources, the tropical rainforests replete with exotic flora and fauna, the wide expanse of rich virgin territory – all served as a pleasant warning that the South American Republic was set to become a major eco-tourism destination in the near future. And while tourism was still a relatively new industry, it was then the fourth largest foreign exchange earner for the country, having made inroads into the Diasporic and traditional markets in North America and Europe.
As we zipped through a corridor of overhanging vegetation we stared spellbound at a curious scene. A petite, bare-footed Amerindian girl sat in a canoe, blowing bubbles through a bamboo shoot. Between puffs, she sang “Oh Beautiful Guyana,” a national song that thanked nature for being so kind to a land blessed with abundant resources. The girl’s brother, sitting next to her, was fighting a global war with his hand-held electronic game.
The paradox of Old World – New World co-existence was not lost on the journalists on a three-day visit to Guyana as guests of the tourism authorities. It brought home the fact that even as they were world-wide travellers, they were unaware that such beauty and magnificence lay within easy reach and at little cost.
It didn’t take long for us to be completely overwhelmed and bowled over. Between arrival and departure, we were exposed to the beautiful and verdant Interior and a city proud of its historical landmarks.
I saw Kaieteur Falls for the first time and I continue to see it in my mind’s eye. Those who haven’t seen it must quickly correct that omission. It’s simply majestic and merits a separate article.
I fell in love with Baganara Island Resort. It aims ‘to bring your dream to life’…and it did for me. One hundred and eighty-seven acres of lush green foliage, table tennis and beach volleyball combined to provide much needed exercise for us – Brooklyn and Manhattan-based practitioners.
Shanklands Rainforest Resort, nestled between the mighty Essequibo River and the unspoiled forest, awaited us. I opted for rustic accommodation that included a hammock and I slept the sleep of the innocent.
At dawn I watched parrots and macaws in a series of races that had no lanes, no officials and no finish lines. I followed the course of a jetliner, so tiny in the sky, my vision unimpeded by high-risers or smog. The quiet was deafening. No telephones, no intrusions, no mosquitoes.
We left Guyana sated with knowledge, the desire to visit again and the resolve to get the word out that Guyana IS the place to go for a vacation.
But that was then…a wonderful, heart-warming tour for a group of 7.
Now the upcoming 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations next May will probably have to cater for 700,000 visitors.
The big question is: Are we ready to start getting ready?
Answer: Six months can never be too early to start preparing for such a superlative event…one as important and essential to the country’s future.
And while we must applaud the ebullience and bubbly enthusiasm pouring out of the relevant ministries and agencies, we must remind that the road ahead is going to be strewn with a myriad of obstacles and veritable landmines. It will be no cake walk.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon stated in his message on the occasion of World Tourism Day (September 27, 2015): “Let us work together to maximize the immense potential of tourism to drive inclusive economic growth, protect the environment and promote sustainable development and a life of dignity for all.”
With five consecutive years of growth, tourism has been a major contributor to the economic recovery, creating jobs and opportunities for communities in many parts of the world. With an increase of 4% in international tourist arrivals in the first semester of 2015, the sector follows an increasing trend that is estimated to reach 1.8 billion international tourists by the year 2030.
In 2014, international tourism receipts increased by US$48 billion to reach a record US$1,245 billion. An additional US$221billion was generated from international passenger transport, bringing total exports from international tourism up to US$1.5 trillion, or US$4 billion a day on average.
The above are staggering facts and figures. And to think we might have the capacity to earn a sizeable chunk if we do our thing right.

Get out the check list:
*From the time people land at the airports (Cheddi Jagan International and Ogle) up to when they’re waving goodbyes, they are our responsibilities. Will security be up to scratch? Will there be enough CCVT cameras all along the East Bank and East Coast roads to engender some feeling of safety. I still remember the brazen robbery of the money changers.
*Tourism workers must be trained and prepared for all events – front office, house-keeping, food production, food and beverage services, travel consultants, tour operators. Hotels, resorts and restaurants must start mounting seminars to prepare the workforce especially with new genres like gastronomy and wine tourism becoming key components for experiencing the culture and lifestyle of any destination and a growing travel motivation.
*Squeeze everything out of our vaunted eco-tourism market – typically defined as travel to destinations where the flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions and no damage is done to the environment.
*Encourage a partnership with social media which can lead to huge advantages for advertising and marketing strategies.
*Offer incentives to restaurants to brush off the catering menus and to embrace the use of local ingredients. Refurbish our sports facilities (National Gymnasium already looking good); recreate exhibition sites and city centre venues with easy transport links; reward ‘clean’ communities. Involve schools in traditional things like Plaiting The Maypole.
The list can go on and on.
However Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes seems to have a grip on things with United States investigative heavyweights, National Geographic, USA Today and Huffington Post, scheduled for a visit here in a few weeks. The ‘familiarisation tour’ is part of a drive to showcase the unique attraction of Guyana to the US market.
And hopefully the rest of the world.