THE Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, through the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and Wilderness Explorers (WE) has announced its ‘Safe Lodges, Safe Guests, Safe Communities Project Ecotourism App’ which will serve as a primary tool for restarting the tourism sector in Guyana following the initial shock of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This information was disclosed by Tourism Minister, Oneidge Walrond, during the Virtual Diaspora Conference 2021, which was held on Saturday.
The objective of the partly Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded app is to pilot a system for implementation, communication and certification of compliance of health and safety protocols that will safeguard eco-lodge employees, host communities and eco-tourism visitors to Guyana’s North Rupununi eco-tourism circuit.
The app which is expected to be developed later in 2021 will target three main beneficiary groups: employees of 10 eco-lodges, micro-entrepreneurs and residents of 16 host indigenous communities, and tour operators targetting and booking travellers to the North Rupununi in Guyana.

Minister Walrond noted that government is cognisant of Guyana’s attractiveness as a tourist destination and noted that strategic steps have been taken to ensure that systems are put in place to ensure that Guyana is made safe for anyone engaging in tourism activities.
“The ministry has been working to improve the experience of all visitors, local and international, through improving the quality of tourism offerings. We are working to make information more readily available to both residents and nonresident visitors by further harnessing the potential of digitization and the application of new technology. In this regard, the GTA along with Wilderness Explorer and an international partner are developing a tourism app that will serve as a primary tool for restarting tourism in Guyana following the initial shock of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Walrond stated. She noted that this type of information, especially during the pandemic, will greatly benefit, not just the Ministry of Tourism, but any Guyanese or visitor looking to enjoy the unique tourism activities the country has to offer. She explained that the app would allow ease of access to information for all and would serve to boost the accessibility of those tourism businesses.

OPEN TO INVESTMENTS
Minister Waldron noted that the government, in its vision to improve the tourism products of Guyana, is open to investments.
“Our administration is very keen on investment on all sectors. In the tourism sector we welcome investment particularly in the outlying regions and we are committed to providing an enabling environment that sends the unmistakable message to investors that we are open to business,” she said.
She noted that aligning with government’s vision to position Guyana as a prime destination that is fully prepared for the full resumption of international travel when the COVID-19 virus is brought under control, the ministry is working on developing new attractions and building sustainable low carbon footprint tourism products that coexist with, and preserve, the environment. “In addition to the three eco-friendly tourism products launched in 2020, three new tourism circuits will be developed this year in Moruca, Region One; Essequibo, Region Two; and South Rupununi in Region Nine, to provide tourists with activities such as hiking, bird watching, wildlife spotting and camping, all ecofriendly,” said Minister Walrond.
She noted that these are some of the types of investment opportunities that the Guyanese diaspora can look forward to if it intends to be a part of the tourism sector.

Meanwhile, Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority, Carla James said that the importance of the diaspora cannot be understated. She noted that approximately 70% of the visitors who come to Guyana are from the diaspora. She noted that in 2019 alone some $48.9 billion was added to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the 220,308 diaspora visitors to Guyana. She further explained that even while the COVID-19 pandemic has put a major halt on several sectors in the country, Guyanese in the diaspora have been keeping the tourism sector afloat. “During this time of the pandemic, tourism is being sustained through visitation by the diaspora and domestic travellers’ tourism is surviving and thriving with your support. Despite this pandemic Guyana’s economy has been forecasted for double digit growth. There are many opportunities for the diaspora to be part of this growth and development. One key area is investment. We welcome and need more investment in the tourism sector to meet the existing unmet market demand and the anticipated growth and the market demand especially for luxury travel experiences,” James stated. She further stated that, with Guyana’s unique brand of eco-tourism and the endless opportunities for investments, hospitality industry and Guyana as a whole would not just benefit from increased earnings, but a ripple effect will also be seen as many more jobs will be created to meet the demand of the sector.