THE Region 10 Tourism Committee has welcomed some major developmental projects slated for the region, which will boost its tourism potential.

Chairman of the Region 10 Tourism Committee and APNU+AFC Member of Parliament, Devin Sears, speaking during the launch of Tourism Awareness Month activities on Monday, said the region is a ‘front runner’, especially for domestic tourism.

He said there will be endless potential for the township once the Linden to Lethem Road is completed.

“The Region 10 Tourism Committee is welcoming the Linden to Lethem Road because it believes that it will bring significant investment and development to not only Linden but the entire region. The potential is endless when it comes to the road because we know that we would have tourists coming from Brazil and even creating a line with tourists coming from Suriname to Guyana and then to Brazil,” Sears said.

The committee also welcomes the US$120 million resurfacing of the Soesdyke /Linden Highway.

The government has also set aside $1 billion for road works in communities across the region.

Apart from major highways, the government is also working on several other projects including the Linden Waterfront Project which costs $30 million. The Linden Synthetic Track is also being developed, while the Mackenzie Sports club is slated for major improvements, along with a major housing drive in the region.

Tourism Awareness Month 2022 will see the region hosting 37 events. These include the Linden expo, savannah safari, kayaking competition, motor bikers’ pilgrimage, aerial tours, and debating competitions, among others.

The committee is also working on establishing an eco-lodge at Rockstone and cabins at Great Falls, Calcuni, and Kwakwani, among other plans to further boost the tourism potential.

“We believe that the tourism industry will create over 20, 000 jobs over the next five years and this will stem from particularly, hotels, tour operations, eco-lodges conservations, and other investments. Employment is key in our town and the development of our region,” Sears said.

He said the region welcomes between 500 to 1,000 tourists every weekend, visiting the various sites like the blue lakes, and the historical sites, fishing, hiking, and taking part in other activities. (DPI)