By Michel Outridge

SINCE the recent Ministry of Tourism and Public Telecommunication advertisement for its Bed and Breakfast (B&B) Programme, the response thus far has been encouraging, with 32 persons expressing an interest.The Ministry is optimistic that more persons will come on board. This is according to Kemie Williams, officer-in-charge of the 50th Anniversary Secretariat for Accommodation and Hospitality.

The advertisement in the newspapers for the B&B programme called on Guyanese to have their residences upgraded for the accommodation of thousands of Guyanese who will be visiting Guyana for the much-anticipated Golden Jubilee Celebrations in May.

Williams said the secretariat has had ‘good’ responses up to now. She explained that once the places of accommodation are inspected, they are then registered in accordance with the blueprint for a sustainable code of practice, through the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).

Williams said the secretariat is in process of putting together a website for the Bed and Breakfast Programme, to create linkages so persons can view photos of the places that are available and make on-line reservations.

She said that pricing is left to the discretion of the owners, but the ministry has since made recommendations in this regard.
Williams noted that the B&B concept was first introduced for Cricket World Cup 2007, due to an anticipated influx of tourists, and the Ministry of Tourism has decided to resuscitate the programme this time, making the code of practice, which was voluntary, into a standard which will make the B and B a sustainable venture.

Bed and Breakfast (commonly referred to as B&B) establishments are a standard feature of the accommodation sector in many tourist destinations. They exist to cater for a quite significant niche of travellers who, for a variety of reasons, prefer the facilities and general experience of a home stay to accommodation in a hotel.

B&B establishments are particularly relevant in times of mega-events, when the traditional hotels are unable to accommodate all the visitors coming to a destination.

B&B operations are by no means unknown in Guyana, and for a number of years they have been providing a valuable service, albeit quietly, especially at those times when hotels have been full.

Linden Town Week 2006 and CWC 2007 are two examples of occasions that stimulated B&B business in Guyana.

B&B CODE OF PRACTICE
The Code of Practice for Bed and Breakfast facilities was recently approved as a national standard by the National Standards Council, after it was developed by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) Technical Committee – Tourism.
This standard, which specifies the minimum requirements for bed and breakfast facilities operating in Guyana, was formulated in an effort to improve the quality of services offered by local providers of bed and breakfast facilities.

It is expected that this code would be utilised by all stakeholders in the tourism sector, and specifically by local bed and breakfast providers and potential investors in this category, thereby promoting standardisation for this particular service.

CATEGORIES
The standard provides minimum requirements for three categories of facilities: A, B, and C. For bed and breakfast facilities to be considered as Category A, they must include self-contained double or single bedroom accommodation with an air conditioned unit, television and other basic amenities, including telephone, access to a mini-refrigerator, and comfortable, functioning furniture in a quiet and attractive setting.

In addition, the standard states that private access to rooms is preferable, and hot water; hot and cold shower; fresh, clean linen, and breakfast shall be provided.
Lunch, dinner, or any other meals could be arranged on request at an additional cost.

Requirements for facilities falling under Category B and C are similar to Category A, with a few exclusions in descending order.

The standards also address minimum requirements for rooms, which include sufficient size for freedom of movement, privacy, requirements for beds and sheet covering, and other furniture requirements. Electrical installation, fire safety, hygiene and pest control are also addressed by the standard.

As Guyana strives to expand and improve its tourism sector, there is the growing need to provide quality services and comfortable accommodation for tourists and other visitors here.

Acquiring a copy of this standard and implementing the requirements would certainly aid entrepreneurs and operators in the tourism industry, particularly providers of bread and breakfast facilities, to better meet the demands of visitors.

Copies are available upon request from the Technical Standards Information Unit of the GNBS.