AS the tourism sector continues its journey towards recovery through resiliency, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has granted conditional approval for the reopening of an additional eight tourism businesses.

According to a release, Adventure Guianas, Bimichi Eco Lodge, Jungle Bug, Kanuku Tours, Manari Ranch, Old Fort Tours, Ride Along GY and Roraima Tours can now commence hosting travellers.

These businesses have been inspected and received their approvals, which are tied to the National COVID-19 Safety Measures, as well as the GTA’s official Hygiene and Sanitation Protocols.

This confirms that 31 tourism businesses are now deemed safe to operate.
“The GTA has done a great deal of work to ensure travel operations are done in a safe way. We want to reiterate that it is absolutely essential that travellers, both domestic and international, only schedule their destination getaways with the GTA- approved tourism businesses that have been inspected and marked Safe for Travel. You must do your very best to avoid putting yourselves, your families, and by extension your communities, at risk,” Carla James, Director of the GTA cautioned potential travellers.

Businesses that fail to comply with the stipulations outlined in their conditional approvals guided by the National COVID-19 Safety Measures, and the GTA will face immediate revocation of their reopening approvals, the GTA said. The GTA will be releasing a survey, which will be shared with the general public, so that patrons can provide their feedback on the implemented hygiene, sanitation and safety measures and improved customer services that they have been experiencing at these establishments in light of reopening. The GTA is continuing along its 2021 mandate to ensure that inspections and the necessary training support are provided to tourism businesses, as the sector continues to safely reopen. The mandatory two-step process entails the submission of the business’s written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to the GTA for a desk review, and two, on-site inspection of businesses to verify the implementation of the SOPs, and approval by the GTA.

These on-site inspections are conducted by the GTA’s inspection team, along with a representative from the Ministry of Health. Given the GTA’s role and procedure, a separate inspection by the Ministry of Health is not required. For more information on the two-step conditional approval process for the reopening of tourism businesses, persons are asked to contact Micheala Lindore, Tourism Business Support Officer within the GTA at micheala@guyanatourism.com or Carla James, Director of the GTA at carla@guyanatourism.com