– amidst the news of the first recorded case of coronavirus in Guyana

WITH the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring the coronavirus a pandemic and Guyana recording its first case of the virus on March 11, 2020, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) is advising all travellers and locals to be alert and take the necessary precautions to help combat COVID-19.

“This is uncharted territory for Guyana’s travel and tourism sector, and the situation is changing daily. Based on the global response from the travel and tourism sector, the Guyana Tourism Authority has learned that tourism businesses that are flexible and able to make decisions and changes quickly to their cancellation policies, are increasing their resiliency and that of their partners,” said a press release from the GTA.

“We recommend postponing when feasible,” explained Brian T. Mullis, Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority. “If your guests and clients want to cancel completely, be flexible and allow them the opportunity to postpone their departures. Our local lodges, hotels and airlines need to be flexible with tour operators and work with them. As this is a fluid situation, we strongly encourage the sector to be more lenient with cancellation policies and temporarily modify them as necessary to accommodate changing travel plans.”

The authority also recommends reminding guests, clients, and team members that their safety and security remain our sector’s highest priority. In response to the coronavirus, maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene and taking additional measures, in consultation with global and local public health authorities, to make cleaning and hygiene protocols even more rigorous is paramount.

“If someone is suspected as having the coronavirus, do not visit any healthcare facility. Instead make an urgent report to the Ministry of Public Health via telephone number (592)227-4986 Ext# 215 between 08:00-16:30h or (592)624-3067 between 16:30-20:00h, and a team will be dispatched to the suspected person’s home. This will avoid exposing others to the virus if indeed someone is infected,” GTA said in the release.
The Guyana Tourism Authority said it will continue to monitor the situation and reliable sources closely and make informed and evidence-based decisions accordingly, and encouraged travellers and the travel and tourism sector to do the same.