CONTINUING its mission to have the tourism sector return to some level of normalcy, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has granted two additional tourism businesses, the Karanambu and Piraiba Lodges with “conditional approval” to reopen.

The GTA has increased the number of inspections and training to support tourism businesses with their preparations for safe reopening. During this period, the GTA employed a two-step process to ensure that all tourism businesses have the necessary resources and training to facilitate operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two-step approach entails a submission of the business-written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to the GTA for a desk review, followed by an on-site inspection of these businesses to verify implementation of the SOPs and approval by the GTA.

Director of the GTA, Carla James, in a media release expressed satisfaction at the consistent pace at which businesses have been granted their conditional approval, saying, “Our team [have] been working assiduously with these businesses to ensure that they have all the necessary measures in place to safely reopen, and we will continue to monitor their adherence to all of the stipulated protocols as outlined by the Ministry of Health.”
With the addition of the two new tourism businesses, the GTA has so far granted 13 tourism businesses conditional approval to reopen and has marked them ‘Safe for Travel.’

The GTA during this period recommends domestic and international travellers use only approved tourism businesses to book and plan their tour activities.

James stated that the year 2020 has redefined the landscape for travel, creating a “new normal.” She added that in 2021, with the advent of a vaccine, the GTA welcomes the opportunity for travellers to visit a safer Guyana.