IN an effort to ensure locals are able to enjoy and experience the country’s tourism products, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has brought on board several new tours which target domestic tourists.

Kamrul Baksh, Director of the GTA, said that domestic tourism is at its highest, with several options for locals to participate in diverse touring experiences in each of Guyana’s regions.
He stated that, over the past three years, both the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the GTA have established products targetting the domestic tourism market in Guyana. The aim of these products is to encourage locals to tour Guyana more.
Since 2020, the GTA has launched 42 products with several being for the domestic tourism market. These products include kayaking, nature-based and adventure experiences and culinary experiences.

In previous years, Guyanese have complained about the lack of options when it comes to domestic tourism and the lack of access to those that exist. The cost to experience the wonders of Guyana is also an area of concern for locals.

The GTA has rectified this and now offers domestic tour experiences with attractive and affordable products that can be accessed from anywhere.
While a bulk of Guyana’s tourists are from regional and international countries, domestic tourism is at its highest yet as more locals bask in the beauty of Guyana’s rich biodiversity. Several tour operators have tailored their services to attract more locals.

Notably, the GTA has been working with tour operators to establish new operations in different parts of the country.
In 2019, Destination Guyana won six tourism awards for its outstanding work in ecotourism, sustainable tourism and other areas. Since then, Guyana has taken off in the tourism sector, making the top 30 list of Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel 2023’, for being one of the few places on the planet that offers ‘raw’ adventures.
A 2023 mid-year report produced by the Ministry of Finance stated that a visitor-increase of 16.2 per cent in comparison with 2022 was recorded with the highest arrival period being in the months of March and April.

Furthermore, the GTA will be launching a new product during Tourism Awareness Month 2023. This new product is the ‘Discover Guyana Passport’ initiative. This is one of several initiatives being developed by the GTA. This passport will make it easier for people to travel from one region to the next.
The tourism authority continues to support the Tourism Hospitality Association Guyana (THAG), with the ‘Guyana Escapes’, which offers discounted packages to Guyanese who want to visit lodges and resorts.

Information about the available tour packages can be found on the GTA’s Facebook page.