Theatre is a great driver of tourism

THE influence of tourism on ‘culture’ is often investigated within the background of third world developing societies, such as Guyana. The fact is that tourism is seen as a significant aspect in the choice of the country and even within the city that a tourist uses for his or her destination.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development publication: The Impact of Culture on Tourism (2009), noted that cultural tourism is one of the largest and fastest-growing global tourism markets. Culture and creative industries are increasingly being used to promote destinations and enhance their competitiveness and attractiveness. Many locations are now actively developing their tangible and intangible cultural assets as a means of developing comparative advantages in an increasingly competitive tourism marketplace, and to create local distinctiveness in the face of globalisation.

Based on recent case studies that illustrate the different facets of the relationship between tourism, culture and regional attractiveness, and the policy interventions which can be taken to enhance the relationship, this publication shows how a strong link between tourism and culture can be fostered to help places become more attractive to tourists, as well as increasing their competitiveness as locations to live, visit, work and invest in.

THE GUYANA SITUATION
Mr Ron Robinson, one of Guyana’s committed playwrights, who is also a seasoned producer and dramatist said: “Many people go to New York from all over the world and they make it a ‘must’ to go to Broadway or to an off-Broadway play, because they know they will see a very professional play and they are going to see good theatre and it attracts them.

“And it is certainly a big thing and so I think that in Guyana, we are getting – [and have been for some time]- good Guyanese plays… Francis Farrier has written so many plays and so we could use two of his as part of the Tourist Guide …and theatre would play a very big part of tourism in Guyana,” Robinson said.

CONFERENCES
Theatre would also play a big part when there are conferences and other serious businesses being held here. While a conference can be serious business and there are lots of discussions programmed throughout the day, a bit of theatre could make a whole lot of difference for the delegates – something (pleasant) that may linger on their minds for a long time, Robinson offered.

He said that the delegates may be able to see the St George’s Cathedral; the Kaieteur National Park and other places, “but what about the people?” he asked. “The best way to show those visitors, dignitaries and others a bit about Guyana is through a bit of theatre – about Guyanese people, through comedy or other types of plays,” he said.

Robinson, convinced that theatre would make a lasting impression on the minds of tourists, as well as international and even local delegates, gave an example, where Banks DIH hosted a Masters’ Brewers Convention here in Guyana many years ago, and he was asked by the late Peter D’Aguiar to do a dramatic piece at Dora, for people who had come from the USA, Germany and all over the world for this convention.

Robinson reported that just about a year ago he met a foreigner at the Masters’ Brewers Convention, which was held here and the foreigner remembered him from that convention so many years ago. “He told me that of all the conventions he attended (and he said he attended all), the one that has lingered in his mind was that same one, where I did the play at Dora. He said to me, ‘I would remember that [play] for the rest of my life; that was a fantastic play’,” Robinson told the Pepperpot Magazine.

REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
According to Dr. Keith Nurse of the University of the West Indies, while, “heritage tourism can benefit Caribbean destinations by increasing the local value-added generated by heritage attractions based on related visitor expenditures…research has shown that cultural tourists ‘tend to be [for the] older, better educated and [people who] earn more money than the travelling public as a whole’ and ‘generally spend more money on holiday, stay longer in a particular area and participate in more activities than other tourists’.” These can include culinary, sporting, musical, heritage, art and craft, shopping.

VisitBritain (an international publication) provides figures, which show that theatres in Britain is the driving force for millions of visitors from overseas who are seeking relaxation and pleasure.

It was further reported, “Some 14 per cent of all tourists on holiday in the British Isles went to a musical, play, ballet or spent a night at the opera,” according to figures revealed by VisitBritain.

The VisitBritain.com added that the 2.8 million people who took in a play or show, such as during 2012, is more than double the number of tourists that go to a live sporting event, with musicals being the most popular choice- 64 percent- followed by a play.

In Canada, especially in the city of Toronto, among the entertainment offered tourists is a celebration of “the diverse cultural background of the population of more than 2.7 million…the city is enjoying a tourism high note. Its theatrical offerings are also noteworthy,” reported the National Geographic\Travel.

Forbes 2009, headlined American’s Cultural Tourism Capitals, reported: “Paris, London and Rome aren’t the only spots for tourism with a touch of culture. Even though we’re a couple millennia behind Europe on history, America’s major cities still manage to offer enough sophistication, style and arts to go around.”

In the United States, tourism is a desirable economic alternative because of its potential to provide jobs, stimulate entrepreneurial activity and generate tax revenues and other incomes. “Tourism provides tens of thousands of jobs and generates billions of dollars in tax revenue throughout the country each year…,” the Forbes 2009 posited.

The World Tourism Organisation (WTO (1993), and applied by the European Commission (1995), defined cultural tourism as: “the activities of persons during their travel and stay in a place outside their usual place of residence, for a continuous period of less than one year, for leisure, business or other purposes.” Others have defined culture as the process through which people make sense of themselves and their lives…the consumption of art, heritage, folklore and a whole range of cultural manifestations.

It can be clearly seen therefore that cultural tourism does make sense for the government, the private sector, and all the people involved – both the locals, as well as the tourists. (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.