AS part of the government’s plans to promote Guyana as a travel destination and the ideal place to invest, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond and members of the private and public sectors, are currently attending an Investment Summit in Belize.

While the summit focuses on attracting and promoting investment for economic development in Belize, the Ministry of Tourism and Commerce’s Communication Manager Cordell McClure, told this publication that Minister Walrond and her team will use the opportunity to promote and showcase the investment opportunities that Guyana has to offer.

McClure said that Minister Walrond will engage in discussions that are focused on enhancing the bilateral relationship between the two countries and will use the various opportunities to express Guyana’s commitment to pursuing greater collaboration, particularly in the areas of tourism and trade.

“Minister Walrond is there to promote Guyana, have bilateral discussions as President Ali does on his trips, and explore investment opportunities for our country,” he explained.

McClure further added that even though Minister Walrond is currently in Belize, she checks in regularly to ensure that she is updated on preparations for the upcoming Cricket Carnival.

“There is a team that is managing the groundwork and making sure that everything is in place for the upcoming Cricket Carnival. However, even though the minister is travelling, she is making sure that she interacts with the team so that she is aware of the happenings,” he added.

Noting that Minister Walrond is leading “exceptionally well” in the planning of the Cricket Carnival, McClure said that he is happy to relate that a tremendous amount of work is still being done in her absence.
As it relates to Guyana’s tourism sector, McClure said that while he would have liked Minister Walrond to speak on the significant accomplishment of tourist arrivals in Guyana, he is pleased to say that the numbers don’t lie.

According to him, the arrivals are now beyond the pre-pandemic levels, and by all indications, it will continue to grow.

Additionally, McClure explained that people are coming to Guyana in large numbers, and while they are making Guyana their holiday destination, the government has also continued to develop the tourism infrastructure across the country.

According to him, government is making these investments to ensure that both locals and international tourists are not limited to the capital city, but are given the opportunity and the option to see all 83, 000 square miles of the ravishing beauty called Guyana.

In a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, the Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Kamrul Baksh said that as a result of the hard work, dedication, and commitment of the government, especially the Ministry of Tourism led by Minister Walrond and the GTA team, more people are choosing Guyana as their holiday spot, and they are not only staying in the capital city (Georgetown), but they are venturing off to the outskirts of the Essequibo, the Rupununi, and other hinterland areas.

Baksh commended First Lady Mrs. Arya Ali’s national beautification project which according to him has seen the transformation of Georgetown, particularly the Kitty seawall and Lamaha Avenue, the introduction of various green spaces, family parks, and the “I love Guyana signs” throughout the regions.

“Both the local and international tourists are gravitating towards these venues because of the physical enhancement that has been done by the First Lady, the government, and to some extent, the private sector, and that wasn’t the case before.”

“We are also seeing this outside of Georgetown, and what I want us to understand is that the government is not only prioritising the capital city, but beyond as well. Guyana is not only Georgetown, but all the 10 administrative regions are benefitting, and this will in turn continue to boost the tourism sector,” he added.