DIRECTOR of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Brian Mullis, said the local Indigenous culture is a tourist attraction and its preservation is key to building Guyana’s image as a tourist destination.

“The relationship that we have been fostering or building with the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs (MoIPA) is arguably the most important relationship we have because more and more travellers are seeking out authentic nature, culture and adventure experiences and they are predominantly interested in meeting Indigenous people and learning their ways of life,” Mullis said at a recent forum.

According to Mullis, everyone, from the United Nations (UN), which declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages, to travellers, has recognised the beauty of the Indigenous cultures. And Guyana, he said, is blessed with much of this culture.

“The interest in Guyana is growing,” he said, reminding that Guyana was awarded the #1 Ecotourism destination in the world, as well as a Top 10 Sustainable Destination.

But he explained also “With sustainability, we’re basically talking about protecting our natural and cultural heritage and benefitting local people through local enterprise and that’s something Indigenous people have been doing for millennia.”

And as such, even as the country would like to tap into the Indigenous culture and promote it greatly for tourism purposes, it is pertinent for efforts to also focus on preserving this culture to ensure its sustenance.

“It is important for the GTA to help Indigenous communities alongside the MoIPA to determine what’s sacred; that is what they don’t want to share and what do they want to share with outsiders and on what terms,” he said.

This past week, Guyana was featured in the Thrillist, another internationally recognised media website covering food, drink, travel and entertainment.

In an article titled “This Gorgeous Jungle Nation is South America’s Best-Kept Secret” written by Andrew Evans, Guyana’s diverse culture and natural patrimony was put in the spotlight.

Importantly, Evans underscored the rich Indigenous culture found in the hinterlands regions of the ‘must-see’ country.

“Get to know local traditions and history” was one of the sub-headings in his article, which focused on the nine indigenous nations which comprised Guyana’s original population and still contribute to a “proud and visible” place in the country.

The Thrillist contributor wrote: “All nine languages and cultures are thriving, and each nation manages their own lands, allowing for unique conservation partnerships that encourage outside visitors and a chance to experience Indigenous culture first hand.”

Evans article showed just how enthralled tourists are with the local Indigenous culture and all of what Guyana has to offer.