— awaits visitors to Guyana, the premier eco-tourism destination, as Tourism Month ‘jump starts’

TOURISM Awareness Month was launched on Tuesday in the mining town of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), and will centre the role of all national sectors in promoting and improving tourism.

The launch of the official activities as part of Tourism Awareness Month was held at the Watooka Guesthouse in Linden.

The theme for this year’s Tourism Awareness month, “All Sectors-One Tourism” is a fitting one as it is in line with President Irfaan Ali’s One Guyana initiative, said Prime Minister Mark Phillips during Tuesday’s launch.

Over the past few years, he noted, the world has begun to notice Guyana. As such, the country must be prepared for the tourism opportunities that this increased exposure can bring, the Prime Minister said.

Just recently, President Ali expressed during an Al Jazeera interview that revenues from oil and gas will be used to build and improve all sectors in Guyana and improve the tourism product to make Guyana a premier eco-tourism destination.

“The revenue stream is there and we will develop all the traditional sectors, and we see tourism, specifically eco-tourism, as one of the traditional sectors in Guyana, and we will continue to provide the necessary resources to develop that sector,” PM Phillips said.

To this end, he added that the government has always prioritised tourism and will continue to do so, given its development potential and Guyana’s natural portfolio.

As the country continues to attract attention from the wider world, the government has already committed to investing in the people through capacity-building in hospitality management, quality assurance and other critical areas within the tourism sector.

With the expansion of this sector, the Prime Minister said that for the first half of 2022, Guyana saw an increase of tourists by 103 per cent when compared to the same period last year.

While the pandemic did have some effect on the numbers for the previous year, he noted that this year, the numbers are still significant and are even more promising for the second to fourth quarters of this year.

Additionally, he mentioned that within two years, Guyana has shown up on multiple global top destination lists.

“This is a testament to the fact that the world has begun to notice Guyana more and we must therefore be prepared for the tourism opportunities that this attention may bring,” Phillips expressed.

Against this backdrop, the PM added that Guyanese must consider tourism holistically and find avenues for creating sustainable linkages between the tourism sector and other sectors.

Meanwhile, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, during her remarks, stated that the launching of Tourism Awareness Month in Linden is significant as the government believes that it must take some of the major national events and observances outside of the capital city and bring it to the people all across the country.

This, she said, is part of the government’s deliberate thrust for inclusion and inclusive social and economic development which, she added, all Guyanese have a right to expect.

Minister Walrond added that this thrust is part of what One Guyana means to all and indicated that all citizens should feel involved, recognised and appreciated and benefit from Guyana’s resources.

“Our primary objective is how we develop Guyana into the great nation it can be for all of us, and I’m happy that tourism is an excellent tool for that objective,” the minister said.

Further, she highlighted that the theme reflects the thinking that if a strong tourism sector is to be built, the involvement of all sectors is needed. As such, she revealed that the ministry is working closely with other agencies such as the Ministry of Agriculture to develop agro-tourism tours. Other ministries, like the ministry for sports, are being engaged about partnerships.

“This One Tourism concept also speaks of inclusivity, diversity and forward development,” she added.

Throughout the month of November, a number of activities are expected to be held in all regions across the country.