–Minister Gaskin urges private sector

GREATER private sector investment is needed to transform Guyana’s Tourism Sector, Minister of Business with responsibility for Tourism Dominic Gaskin said, minutes before unveiling the 18th Edition of Explore Guyana.

Addressing a small but distinguished audience of tourism enthusiasts at the historic Umana Yana on Saturday evening, Minister Gaskin said private sector investors such as those in the gold-mining industry and the developing oil and gas sector must be willing to pump monies into the development of the tourism industry here.

“The right people are the people with the money, whether its oil or gold, the right people are those who are prepared to take the risk and put very big money into a project that would not yield returns in the short-term,” he told those present.

In 2015, Guyana recorded approximately 207,000 visitors while its neighbour to the west, Suriname, recorded 250,000 visitors, Minister Gaskin pointed out. In 2015, St Lucia recorded 350,000 visitors, Barbados approximately 600,000, Ice Land just under a million visitors, Jamaica approximately two million, Costa Rica 2.5 million and Morocco approximately 10 million visitors.

With the “right” amount of investment by the “right people”, Minister Gaskin believes that by 2025, there can be more than 800,000 visitors coming to Guyana.

He said that while the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government is playing its part with support from organisations such as the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), the private sector must step up to the challenge.

A National Tourism Policy, which was piloted and crafted under the direction of the former Minister of Tourism, Cathy Hughes will soon be made available for implementation, Minister Gaskin pointed.

President of THAG Andrea de Caires said tourism in Guyana must be treated as a “profession and not a side benefit”, noting that it creates job opportunities in places where there were no jobs.

She said too that the country must strive to meet the expectations of the international tourist. Operators in the industry, de Caires said must be able to provide safe and comfortable transportation to places such as the Rupununi.

But there is ever so often the question of affordability, and as such, the President of THAG is calling for concessions to be granted to operators within the field.
“Concessions for tourism are not only accepted, it is applauded,” she emphasised.

THAG, which was established in 1992, is the producer of Explore Guyana – the official tourist guide of the country. As is customary, the magazine was presented last week at the largest travel trade show – the World Travel Market in London.

ADVENTURE TRAVELLER
“It answers the question, why Guyana?” the President noted while pointing out that this year, the magazine focused on the adventurous traveller.

It tells the story about the legendary Harpy Eagle, which is featured on the cover, in addition to stories about the Mighty Essequibo, the Majestic Kaieteur Falls and about the search for Lau Lau – the largest catfish in the world. Homage was also paid to Sir Shridath Ramphal, Guyana’s Diplomat Extraordinary and Guyanese anthropologist, Jennifer Wishart.

The publisher Lokesh Singh said he was pleased to be associated with Explore Guyana, a magazine he has been publishing since 2013.

Singh said over the last 13 years the magazine has truly evolved as a piece of art.
“When we started this magazine, it was 64 pages, it was stapled in the middle, it was printed 10,000 copies. Thirteen years later we are producing a 104-page publication, high-quality glossy paper, special, perfect binding, and special effects that we have introduced into this publishing industry that no other publisher has led before,” said a proud Singh.
He stated that the state-of-the-art publication is now produced in the volume of 35,000 copies for free distribution not only in Guyana but around the world. For the first time, copies have been sent to all the overseas missions of Guyana.

Singh disclosed that the company has introduced a new element to the magazine in a quest to stay abreast with evolving world of technology. Once the layar app is downloaded on a technological device primarily a phone, and the cover of the magazine is scanned, “it comes alive”. Readers would then be able to access the magazine online.

In addition to unveiling Explore Guyana, the winners of THAG Essay Competition were recognised and awarded. In the Primary School Category, 11-year-old Purnima Totaram of East Berbice won the top prize, while the Secondary School Category was won by 16-year-old Cheri Frank of Queen’s College.

In addition to their prizes, they were presented with certificates by the 2015 winners Omari Joseph and Victoryne Mohabir.

The launch was also attended by Minister of Public Telecommunication, Cathy Hughes and her husband Nigel Hughes, who also chaired the programme, and the US Ambassador, Perry Holloway and his family.