Tourism businesses hopeful of receiving relief
Proprietor of Rainforest Tours, Frank Singh
Proprietor of Rainforest Tours, Frank Singh

BUSINESSES in the tourism sector are hopeful that some sort of financial assistance would be forthcoming from the government, or other entities, so that they can have capital to inject into their business once things return to normal.

Owner of Rainforest Tours, Frank Singh, shares that while he currently has no income, he is still holding on to the hope that the COVID-19 pandemic will taper out soon, and that tourism businesses could return to normal, at least by next year.

However, with zero income, he said he has been using personal savings to keep his business afloat, an arrangement he can’t sustain for much longer, and one that will leave him with depleted funds when it is time to re-start.

“There’s no income, total zero because that was our only means. Tourism was my only income. Basically I’m working on my reserves which are going to dry up probably soon,” Singh shared.

Singh estimates that his income loss runs into millions. Notwithstanding the closure of his business, and having to send his staff home, Singh said he has been keeping his staff on by offering them a monthly stipend. Altogether he says his current monthly expenses still range between $150,000 and $170,000.
‘You still have to pay bills, and there’s no income. The staff I had to send them home, because we are totally closed. We can’t do anything, there’s nothing to even work from home. I just try to give them a stipend, just to keep them running,” Singh explained.

In operation since 1995, the business provides tourism tours and outings largely to Guyana’s interior Regions, and has become known for its signature, annual “Pakaraima Safari”. The business also provides tours to Kaieteur Falls, day tours to Essequibo and overland tours.

Singh is optimistic of Guyana’s tourism industry eventually returning to its former glory, when the COVID-19 situation blows over.
But he worries about how he will find the capital to restart operations.

“Once the COVID-19 goes away or eases then we could start back business, but for this year I don’t see any big opening back,” he added.
Earlier this year, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) proposed a plan calling on government’s intervention to help tourism businesses, estimating that the COVID-19 pandemic could cause as much as 50 percent of the tourism business in Guyana to close.

The Authority said approximately 22, 000 Guyanese depend directly and indirectly on the travel and tourism industry in Guyana.
Singh said the GTA had asked him to fill out a form earlier this year, and as the country awaits a 2020 budget, he hopes that it will contain some level of relief for the tourism businesses.

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