THE Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), on Friday, announced the appointment of Kamrul Baksh as its new deputy director.
GTA, in a press release, said Baksh, who currently serves as Manager of Product Development within the Travel Industry Development Division (TIDD) GTA, has six years experience in the tourism industry and was unanimously identified out of 30 applicants as the most suitable candidate, at the end of a rigorous three-stage selection process, managed by the Board of Directors.

The new deputy director will assume official duty from December 1, 2020.
According to the release, Baksh, in his capacity as Deputy Director, will bring to the job a wealth of knowledge from his years of experience, on the job training and educational background.

As the youngest to ever assume this role within the GTA, Baksh’s disposition truly belies his age. When asked about how he feels about his new appointment, he had the following to say:
“I’m honoured and delighted to be selected as the new Deputy Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority. As a career tourism practitioner, I have played various roles within the multi-disciplinary industry that will assist me in the discharge of my functions in this new position,” he said.

The deputy director added: “Having been integral to the development of new tourism products, ensuring their compliance with standards and continuously improving the capacity of tourism workers, I’m well-positioned to oversee the growth of these areas and others within the next few years.”

Additionally, Baksh is quoted as saying, “Cognisant that this time brings with it a new wave of challenges never experienced before in the industry, a top priority is ensuring that the industry is in a state of preparedness for travel, upon resumption. The tourism industry will undergo changes but, given its resilience, it will rise up and take on the opportunities that await as Guyana embarks on a period of transformative growth”.

Baksh said that he was looking forward to continued partnership with all tourism stakeholders, private sector, communities, governmental and non-governmental agencies, to navigate through the on-going pandemic and craft a sustainable future for tourism in Destination Guyana.

As Deputy Director, Baksh will have lead responsibility for Industry Training, Licensing, Operations and Finance and will support Product Development and Donor Development.
Baksh holds a Bachelor Degree in Business Management, a MBA in Business Administration from the University of Bedfordshire, UK, and is currently pursuing a Master degree in Tourism and Hospitality at the University of the West Indies.

The GTA board is confident that Baksh’s experience, adaptability and passion for tourism, along with a strong support team at the GTA, will allow the organisation to continue along its path of developing Guyana as a top sustainable destination in the world.