– vital to drive tourism businesses in light of COVID-19, says senior tourism official
GENERAL-Secretary of the Region Three Tourism Development Association, Dennis Mayers, has contended that in order for the tourism sector to recover and develop, supporting agencies must adapt to technology and embrace training and retooling of staff.
He also underlined the importance of repositioning, rebranding and re-designing of businesses to drive market consumption, in the short and long-term.
“That has to take place for them to more or less come alive with what’s going on across the region,” the general-secretary of the Region Three Tourism Development Association said.
He was, at the time, speaking at a virtual meeting hosted by Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Oneidge Walrond and included representatives of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG),) and the Regional Tourism Committees on the way forward for tourism, amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Mayers told the minister and other representatives that to revive the tourism sector in Region Three, major financial support would be required.
He also noted that training for technological transitions would be needed.
Minster Walrond said the government is committed to assisting relevant stakeholders and the meeting provides a platform for an equitable response to the tourism sector.
“I can assure you that this [meeting] will be significantly considered, as government finalises its plans for a national response to the recovery and development of the sector,” Minister Walrond said.
It was reported that several restaurants in Region Three that catered specifically for indoor dining were closed because of their inability to adapt to changing demands.
“It is estimated that 35 per cent of restaurants have closed, specifically those who catered for indoor dinning and were unable to provide delivery services or outdoor dining,” Mayers said.
This resulted in major restaurants that were able to provide alternative services flourishing, including one fast food restaurant, which opened a new branch in the region to fill the gap.
“For those restaurants that have been closed, our discussions with a few of them is with the hope of providing some form of delivery service or some courier service coming on stream, to assist them with delivery, so that they can begin re-opening,” he added.
Moreover, all major events from April–September 2020 have been cancelled. Despite not being able to have the events physically, the region is opting to introduce a technological solution.
“We are trying to see how we can adapt a virtual approach and have some events online,” Mayers said.
Unfortunately, the discussions were not as productive as hoped due to some stakeholders’ reluctance to adapt to technology. (DPI)
