GUYANA is looking to tap more into the tourism market this year with the hosting of a major international cricket tournament and the further upgrading of the international airstrip at Ogle, East Coast Demerara.
Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, in his 2010 budget speech Monday, announced that Dash-8 aircraft used by Caribbean Airlines and LIAT will be able to land at Ogle from August when upgrades are scheduled to be completed.
Daily flights from Ogle to Suriname were launched last year after the airstrip was approved for international flights.
Singh noted that Guyana’s unique tourism product has recently been receiving the “most favourable coverage ever” in mainstream international media and said the government regards the sector as offering important opportunities for growth and expansion.
“Our strategy for tourism will see continued focus on key markets, especially the diaspora and geographically contiguous markets such as Suriname and Brazil, new marketing techniques, especially internet-based marketing, key niches such as domestic and event-based tourism, and high value-added subsectors such as birding and riverain yachting”, he said.
He announced that the strategy will also see increasing attention to capacity and quality in the hospitality sector going forward.
He said the good performance last year is expected to be sustained and very likely exceeded with key impetus coming from the hosting of ICC World Twenty 20 in April/May, the commencement of international flights into Ogle, and the commissioning of the Takutu Bridge.
The Takutu Bridge on the border with Brazil was formally opened last year by President Bharrat Jagdeo and Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva.
Singh’s projections were bolstered yesterday with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) forecasting a rebound in visitor arrivals in the region this year.
On the heels of positive indicators from the fourth quarter of 2009, Mr. Winfield Griffith, CTO director of research and information technology, said the organisation is expecting tourism in the region to grow by up to three percent in 2010 as the global economy continues to see recovery.
He said despite the global economic slump, the Caribbean remains one of the world’s most popular tourist regions. A total of 22.1 million people visited the Caribbean in 2009, down from 22.9 million in 2008.
CTO Secretary General Hugh Riley said obvious challenges exist for the region but several factors offer hope for a successful 2010.
“While the global economy is still in a state of flux, interest in the Caribbean remains extremely high,” said Riley.
Singh said $235M will be spent this year to complete the runway at Ogle, and $50M will be spent in addition to the $30M provided last year.
“When completed in August 2010, the airport will be capable of receiving Dash-8 series aircraft of types currently operated by regional airlines such as Caribbean Airlines and LIAT”, he said.
The Ogle International Airport is being managed and upgraded under a strategic public private partnership. Work commenced last year on extending the runway by a further 2,000 feet to 4,000 feet and Singh said $147M was spent in 2009.
Daily scheduled flights have since been introduced between Ogle and Zorg-en-Hoop in Suriname.
The sum of $149.9M is budgeted this year, too, for the completion of the Wakenaam airstrip, commencing construction of the Leguan airstrip, rehabilitation of the Kamarang Airstrip, and maintenance of other domestic aerodromes across the country, the Finance Minister said.
He said $120M was spent last year for the procurement of an aircraft rescue and fire-fighting vehicle to reinforce safety and response capabilities at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and this is expected to be in operation from 2010.
The upgrading of the Mahdia airstrip was completed, works have commenced on the construction of Wakenaam airstrip, and maintenance was done on 39 domestic aerodromes in such areas as Lethem, Monkey Mountain, Itabac, Bartica and Port Kaituma, he reported.
Singh said visitor arrivals here increased by nine percent last year to reach 141,281 as a result of increasing numbers primarily from the Guyanese Diaspora returning home, with observable peaks during the traditional months of February, July/August, and December.
“Despite the relatively weak performance in global and regional tourism, Guyana recorded the highest number of visitor arrivals in any one year in our history, and the highest rate of growth in visitor arrivals in the Caribbean for the year”, he noted.
He announced that regulations made at the end of 2008 under the Guyana Tourism Authority Act will be enforced, and greater emphasis placed on the improvement of quality, standards, service, safety and cleanliness in the hospitality industry, with the aim of improving customer satisfaction and overall visitor experience in Guyana.
“To this end, education and sensitisation sessions will be hosted with stakeholders across the country, tour guides trained, operators registered, and inspections and certification conducted as required”, Singh said.