–projects will further boost Guyana’s image as travel destination

GUYANA’S ecological construct, which includes an expanse of greenery, fresh water and natural beauty, has served as an attraction for tourists from across the world, but, with the country’s true potential still being somewhat undiscovered, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce will be looking to expose this nation’s full wonders through the development of three new tourism circuits.

Being revered as the number one destination for eco-tourism in the world, the country already has a solid foundation to further build on as it moves to capitalise fully on its natural patrimony. The three new circuits will serve as a catalyst in this regard, as the targetted areas are Moruca in Region One (Barima-Waini), Essequibo and South Rupununi.

A tourist circuit is defined as a route in which at least three major tourist destinations are located so that none of these is in the same area. At the same time, they are not separated by a long distance. The circuit should have well-defined entry and exit points. A tourist who enters at the entry point should get motivated to visit all the places identified on the circuit.

The objective of having a tourist circuit is to increase the total number of visits to all the destinations on the circuit and to also provide tourists with the attractions of all the destinations located on the circuit. Attracting tourists is already within Guyana’s reach, as the country is in the spotlight on the international stage because of its oil wealth and other productive sectors. This alone creates many opportunities for Guyana to further develop its tourism product, raise service and infrastructure standards and, most importantly, drive socio-economic benefits to its citizens.

Already there has been increased travel to Guyana despite the pervasive novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and with the world anticipating an end to this scourge in near term, Guyana plans to lay the foundation to ensure that when the ports are reopened fully, it will be a destination of choice for adventure and leisure. The total contribution of travel and tourism to Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to be 7.8 per cent.

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, has said that the government is already partnering with regional tourism communities to improve the sector and increase its contribution to local advancement by developing niche tourism products in every Administrative Region.

This effort will be supplemented by the development of the three new circuits, as they will create opportunities for adventure/nature-based products such as mountain biking, river rafting and a multi-sport expedition (canoeing, hiking, biking). Nature-based tourism activities also include bird-watching, wildlife spotting, photography, camping, hiking and visiting protected areas, which directly or indirectly promote/support conservation of the natural environment.

According to information from the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), adventure travel is treated as a subset of nature-based tourism, since it embraces outdoor recreation activities that take place within the natural environment. The overarching aim of the government, through the establishment of those circuits, is to empower communities to develop such tourism products, conduct capacity building programmes and promote their destinations.

Part of the plan too is to operationalise the Regional Destination Management Organisations/ Tourism Associations by developing a comprehensive business plan, prioritising product development opportunities, hosting train the trainer programmes and creating a distinctive brand. Specific to the South Rupununi, the primary beneficiaries of the new circuit will come from 11 indigenous villages, namely Rukumuta Village, Sand Creek Village, Aishalton Village, Shulinab Village, Ariwa Village, St. Ignatious, Quarrie Village, Rupaunau Village, Maruranau Village, Masekenari Village, and Shea Village.

In addition, there are five private enterprises that act as anchor accommodations in the region, which employ individuals from neighbouring communities, and those are Saddle Mountain Ranch, Wichabai Ranch & Guest Houses, Waikin Ranch, Manari Ranch, Dadanawa Ranch. The current offerings in the South Rupununi primarily include hard adventure (survival experiences, trekking); soft adventure (ATV riding, horseback riding, rafting, hiking, ranching activities); nature-based activities (birdwatching, wildlife spotting); and cultural experiences that include experiencing the vaquero and ranching lifestyle and visits to indigenous communities and cultural and heritage sites.

Similarly, the Essequibo and Moruca Circuits have been identified by the GTA as tourism areas with great potential for sustainable growth.

“We do need to create more activities, more experiences, so we are working with GO-Invest [and] GRA [Guyana Revenue Authority] to revise the tourism incentive package to encourage more businesses opening tour operations, or even putting in new activities, such as zip-lining, just so there are more things to do that are accessible and that are not expensive, especially to our Guyanese who want to go out there to explore their own country,” GTA’s Director, Carla James said in a recent report.

She noted that due to Guyana’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, the country is a pull for international tourists. While noting the importance of international tourists to Guyana, the GTA Director emphasised that this year the GTA intends to see more locals having access to Guyana’s tourism products.

One of the systems intended to improve local access to the tourism sector is the removal of taxes from the vacation allowances of persons in the private sector. Minister Walrond had said recently that increase intra-country travel is anticipated in 2021 and beyond, as the government moves to make the sector more accessible to locals.