THE Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), on Tuesday, launched four new experiential tourism products, in collaboration with Singing Chef Adventures, Touring Guyana, Trail Masters Adventure Tours and Paruima Village.

During the official launch at Herdmanston Lodge, the tour operators spoke about what they have to offer. While offering lots of enjoyment and sightseeing, the tours will also provide valuable information about various aspects of Guyana’s rich history.

GTA Director, Kamrul Baksh, told the Guyana Chronicle that there are now a total of 17 tourism experiences available to the public.

Baksh added that the GTA focuses heavily on the diversity of the tourism products and their development.

Trail Masters Adventure Tours is offering the Tapakuma Camping and Fishing Expedition, and, according to the GTA official, this is a “great’ tourism product as it taps into one of the unexplored great lakes of the Essequibo Coast.

He explained that the aim is to bring the potential of the area to life and to have a full-body experience that entails rustic accommodation.

Baksh noted that Guyana’s tourism products are what “we value and Tapakuma is a fantastic example of that.”

According to him, the experiences that one will get from the Cinderella county will last a lifetime.

Touring Guyana is offering the Mahdia Tour which will take tourists through the heart of Guyana’s gold and diamond mining community. Visits to the Denham Suspension Bridge, Salbora Falls and the Tumatumri Falls are included in the tour.

The Singing Chef Adventures will offer tours which will focus on the 1856 British Guiana One-Cent Black on Magenta, the world’s rarest stamp.

In commenting on this tour, Baksh said: “As we all know, Guyana has the world’s largest and most expensive stamp. So a tour was built around the rich history behind it and how all of that came into being. It is a very educational and historical tour and it is a very interesting variation from the other tours that have been developed along the lines of nature.”

Baksh said that Guyana’s tourism product is one of a kind as it offers a range of experiences.

“What make Guyana’s products so great are the experiences from the culture, which are the rich heritage as well as the historical forts and the overall high and unique biodiversity of the flora, fauna and landscape,” he added.

The fourth tour showcases the beauty of Paruima, an Arecuna-speaking village located on the right bank of the Kamarang River in Region Seven.

Meanwhile, Baksh told this publication that the “brain and genius” behind Guyana’s tourism and such initiatives is President, Dr. Irfaan Ali.

He emphasised that President Ali has “carved out” the vision for all that is happening in the sector and the Minister of Tourism, Oneidge Walrond, has led the team “brilliantly” by giving directions on the way forward.

Minister Walrond, in her comments to this publication, at the recent launch of the ‘One Guyana’ Christmas Village, had said, “Guyana’s tourism products are so unique and diverse. We are so many people, so many races, so many religions, but we always come together and celebrate each other and each other’s culture. One of our pillars of tourism is our Culture and it is something that is very precious to us because it doesn’t happen in other parts of the world, where people of different religions celebrate each other and we need to take pride in that.”

Minister Walrond added that she takes great pride in being a part of President Ali’s government because “none of this could have been possible without President Ali’s vision. He has a tremendous vision for Guyana and I am so happy to be a part of his team and help in the execution of that vision. It is a huge vision and he needs able hands and I am very happy to be a part of this; this is all him and his One Guyana vision for us to come together as one people and highlight the positives of our country.”