AS Guyana’s tourism industry continues to expand, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has set an ambitious target to license 100 operators and businesses by the end of 2023.
In an invited comment to the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday, GTA’ s Director, Kamrul Baksh said that for the month of March, the authority has already licensed 30 businesses and urged others to come onboard.

“It is incredibly important to be a licensed operator, because it tells the travellers that all aspects of safety, quality and sustainability are important and are implemented at the business.”
Based on the GTA Act of 2002, the authority reserves the right to exercise its ability to impose fines for non-compliance to the tourism regulations.

Meanwhile, the tourism body in outlining its achievements for month of March, disclosed in a press release that it has trained more than 87 operators across the country.

The GTA has also executed inspection exercises in Regions Three, Four and 10 during which 35 tourism establishments, including interior lodges and resorts, were inspected.
Trainings, according to the GTA, were held in first aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) testing, mixology, delivering quality services and Health, Safety, Security & Environment (HSSE).

Some 23 persons from Paruima Village, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) benefitted from the training that was led by Melisa Alstrom, an experienced first responder and trainer attached to the Guyana Training College for International Skills (GTCIS).

Practical and theoretical methods were employed to ensure that the community is sufficiently trained to handle emergency situations whenever they arise.

The GTA also facilitated a Delivering Quality Service training with 14 participants at the Aruwai Resort White H2O.

This exercise is aimed at improving the level of customer service provided within the region. Participants were guided through areas such as the importance of customer service, as well as proper etiquette and hospitality techniques, to ensure that all guests receive the highest quality of customer service that is consistent with both local and international standards.

An additional session was held in Region Two, which saw 26 persons being trained in the same areas by Chetnauth Persaud, the GTA’s Training and Product Development Officer.
Meanwhile, critical areas of mixology, such as the different types of bartending, selecting ingredients, garnishing drinks, measuring and pouring techniques, as well, as how to properly present a drink, were covered.

Meanwhile, the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), with support from the GTA and representatives from the consulting firm Target Euro, recently launched the Discover Essequibo Circuit Development Project with stakeholders from the Essequibo Coast and Bartica areas.

The first phase of this project focused extensively on product development, which sought to assess the region’s current product and service offerings while exploring opportunities for new products and visitor flows, the GTA said.

Meanwhile, 62 Community Service Officers (CSOs) from the 10 administrative regions across the country attended a one-week introduction to tourism training, an initiative by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs’ Youth.