Developing Tourism: Guyana – South America UNDISCOVERED

Aug 30, 2015 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

---

(Excerpted from the Post-Budget Address to Parliament by Minister of Tourism, Hon. Catherine Hughes)

Last week, this column highlighted the sections of the Minister’s Parliamentary address that spotlighted Guyana’s capacity to develop our Nature-based Tourism product and the niche products/activities that already exist. This week’s focus is on the Marketing initiatives that will be enshrined in the developing five-year Tourism Strategy and Policy.

Marketing
The effective marketing of Guyana as a choice tourism destination takes priority. Considering what is/not in place, we are forced to start from scratch since this vital aspect of development seemed to have eluded the previous administration.
This budget delivers on the Coalition’s promise to provide more funding to market Destination Guyana which is the foundation of our plan to exploit the potential of this industry. I remember last year begging my friend, the former Minister of many industries including tourism, to increase the funds for marketing, and I even expressed my willingness to back him up in this house.
Well, my offer was not accepted, but this Coalition government, in less than 100 days, has increased the total allocation to the Guyana Tourism Authority, the agency charged with marketing and enforcing standards and regulations, from $120M to $150M. This is the largest percentage increase in a Tourism budget ever. Over the next five years government has committed to doubling this allocation which will enable more Guyanese to earn from Tourism-related products and services.
The Ministry of Tourism through the Guyana Tourism Authority will implement the ACORN Marketing plan along with a Digital Marketing Strategy to promote Destination Guyana around the world. Our goals include:
1) Re-branding the country as: ‘Guyana – South America Undiscovered’ with clear, distinct messaging via printed advertisements, brochures, pamphlets, etc. and through promotional events
2) Expanding our sales and distribution network
3) Conducting comprehensive market research
4) Hosting Media Familiarization trips for selected international media from world-renowned publications and news agencies, plus travel trade writers and Guyanese in the Diaspora, to give them the Guyana experience first-hand
5) Encouraging awareness of the multitude of local attractions by working closely with communities
6) Promoting opportunities for domestic tourism
7) Increasing availability of and access to information through a well-trained cadre of marketing representatives.
We anticipate that the overall Marketing plan and Digitized Marketing Strategy will achieve the following objectives:-
1) Increase arrivals and visitor spending
2) Improve international awareness of Destination Guyana
3) Broaden the spread of the Guyana brand – enhance visibility and image
4) Increase employment in the industry
5) Increase hotel & B&B occupancy
6) Improve kind and quantity of investments
We are adopting a targeted market-led and market-driven approach which will ‘sell’ Guyana’s comparative advantages. Our strategy will see increased participation at key travel, trade, consumer and diaspora shows and events; a more up-to-date presence online; participation in more trade and media familiarization trips; better facilitation for film and documentary producers; full representation in key markets; and the production of a destination promotional video that will be widely distributed.
Between September and December 2015 our representatives will attend two (2) Trade Shows – The American Birding Expo and World Travel Market to promote Destination Guyana.
Since the May 11th elections, we took the opportunity presented at the ‘Last Lap Lime’ in Toronto, Canada which arguably had the largest collection of Guyanese at a single foreign event, to start the marketing initiative, especially for our 50th Independence Anniversary. In addition, our activities to observe Tourism Awareness Month are currently being refined.
Brand Advertisements will also be placed in upcoming editions of the ‘World Travel Market Trade Show’ catalogue, in ‘Guyana – Where & What’, and ‘Bird Watch’ magazine. Going forward to the 50th Independence jubilee we will target the Diaspora via the CAL In-flight and ‘Caribbean Beat’ magazines and the video reels shown onboard.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
A tourism destination must refine the existing ‘supply’ of locations as well as develop new products in keeping with changing trends, needs and demands of global clientele.
The Ministry will employ an integrated and inclusive approach to tourism product development. Our strategy will involve all respective Ministries and Regional bodies to, among other things, examine all existing essential infrastructure, facilities and amenities to identify areas for rehabilitation. The team will also propose incentives for tourism operators, et al, to encourage them to improve their products and services. This essentially will be a public/private partnership.
Our strategy includes several initiatives to strengthen the participating institutions’ capacities to activate our plans in keeping with the National Tourism Policy, especially the Hinterland Tourism Development Plan, the Tourism Circuit Development initiative, and Investment Projects. It also involves increasing operating staff and training them to deliver high quality services.
We expect that the Ministry will see an increased workload in the areas of Inspection and Certification of additional Tourism-related enterprises in the Rupununi, Linden, Berbice and Essequibo.
Focal areas for training between September and December 2015 will be Customer Service, front office operation, awareness and sensitization plus First Aid for boat operators, taxi drivers and other first-contact service providers. The subject areas will include deportment, hospitality services, housekeeping, sales and marketing techniques.
The Hinterland Tourism Development Plan will enable communities to become self-sufficient, create employment, and preserve their heritage and habitats through environmental education.
Continuous Tourism Circuit Development is also planned for certain communities in Berbice, Essequibo and the Waini district. Simultaneously, data will be compiled on two particular niches – Sport Fishing and Nature and Adventure Tourism. The circuit development programme will specifically benefit Tour Operators who are better placed to identify new areas for sight-seeing.
A comprehensive study of this market was done earlier this year. From the findings we will formulate a Tourism-Specific Investment Guide to be used as an information and planning tool for prospective investors in Guyana.
TOURISM SATELLITE ACCOUNTING – CONTRIBUTION TO GDP
This administration is committed to implementing Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) to capture the total contributions that this important sector contributes to Guyana’s GDP.

(To be continued with Accessibility and Connectivity, and the Hospitality Institute)

---

---