Guyana-Brazil strengthen ties to develop Rupununi-Roraima Tourism 

Jul 21, 2016 News

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Guyana’s Rupununi Region may soon see a growth in tourists. Ties between Guyanese and Brazilian tour operators were strengthened following a recent networking conference in Boa Vista, Brazil.

Lasting over two days from July 13, the event was organised by Visit Rupununi (VR) in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, Roraima, and Conservation International – Guyana (CI-G). The collaborative effort was regarded by tour agencies and officials as a timely and significant step in developing the tourism sectors in Guyana’s Region Nine Rupununi and the Brazilian state of Roraima.

Present at the conference were various tour agencies from both sides of the border. Public and diplomatic officials included recently appointed Consul of Guyana to Roraima, Shirley Melville; Vice Consul of Brazil to Guyana, Lisa Marie Dos Reis, Secretary of Planning and Develop in Roraima, Alexandre Henklain, and Director of the Department of Tourism in Roraima, Ricardo Pexioto.

About Visit Rupununi

Tourism Operator of Visit Rupununi, Candace Phillips, explained that the umbrella initiative is looking to develop a destination management organisation that will promote the Rupununi region as a destination with diverse tourism opportunities. The Boa Vista outreach was the first in a number of follow up programmes to market the Visit Rupununi brand to Brazilian customers.

“One of the main aims of the outreach was to understand the Brazilian market and let it be the start of a relationship,” said Phillips. She added that the VR initiative is looking to expand beyond Boa Vista and to access other Brazilian cities like Manaus.

Challenges and Results

During the conference, both countries highlighted four main challenges that currently hinder the progress of their respective tourism sectors. These challenges include limited information on Guyana and the Rupununi, high travel costs, policy regulations in the cross-border movement of people and vehicles, and the current state of the Lethem to Linden road.

Despite these challenges Roraima tourism professionals and officials eagerly established strong collaborative ties with VR to continue their partnership in promoting and building tourism markets in both regions.

Moreover, as a result of the conference, VR and its tour operators were invited by their Boa Vista counterparts to share an exhibition booth at the Associação Brasileira de Agéncias de Viagems (ABAV) International Tourism Expo, in São Paulo this coming September.

In the meantime, VR is in the process of a Familiarisation Trip with Roraima tour operators by the end of August. This trip will provide the opportunity for Boa Vista operators to experience and understand the Guyanese product they intend to sell.

In addition, Brazilian state officials and VR representatives began talks to explore the establishment of an information centre in the border town of Bon Fim.

The Guyana Product

Along with networking opportunities, the two day event included product presentations from Guyana and Brazil. Representing Guyana’s Rupununi were tour operators Ron Allicock, of Ron Allicock Birding Tours; Melanie McTurk of Karanambo Eco-Lodge; Jacqueline Allicock of Surama Eco-Lodge; Jonathan Joseph of St. Ignatius/Kumu Falls Tours; as well as Kayla De Freitas and Leroy Ignacio of Rupununi Trails. Lethem’s Daniel Gajie of Rupununi Lodge was also part of the presentation team.

Each operator presented on specific tourism markets that the Rupununi can capitalise on. These markets included Adventure Based Tourism, Bird-Watching and Community-Based Tourism.

It was noted by Rene Edwards, a representative from CI-G, that Brazilian operators were particularly interested in marketing Community-Based Tourism given the success of indigenous communities like Surama, in the Tourism industry.

“Areas such as community development and the way that indigenous communities are organised in their own economic development have caused the Brazilian government to want to learn from Guyana,” said Edwards.

Brazilian Curiosity

Presenting from the Brazilian side of the market were tour operators Joaquim Magno de Souza of Roraima Adventures and Francisco Diniz of Makunaima Expedições as well as Professor of Tourism Studies Dr.Ismar Borges de Lima.

The Brazilian operators explained that their customers want to explore additional tourism markets. These markets included Shopping Tourism, Spiritual Tourism (reconnecting with nature) and Gastro-tourism (tasting cultural dishes unique to a destination). Guyana’s distinct culture and the Rupununi’s unique natural environment were outlined as attractions that can support these markets.

In addition, due to the economic and political instability in Venezuela, a once popular destination for Brazilians, many tourists have turned their eyes to Guyana as an alternative travel spot, said the operators.

“In Brazil, people are curious to learn about Guyana products,” said de Souza in an interview with this publication. “Guyana can also promote our [agency’s] services now that they know about us and can help bring customers to Roraima.”

However, to assist in the dissemination and development of both countries’ tourism industries, Dr. De Lima stated that language barriers need to be broken. “People on both sides of the border need to speak both languages,” said the tourism professor.

However, the network outreach was generally regarded as a landmark success for Visit Rupununi and Brazilian officials alike. Rupununi Trails’ De Freitas shared that both sides offer many opportunities, as the event was a first step in a long line of follow ups and partnerships with Brazil.

She added that while Brazil is bigger and cheaper to travel Guyana has the advantage about speaking English, thus providing access to various markets.

“I think linking with Brazil and offering a ‘two-countries’ experience was very important,” said the hopeful South Rupununi tour operator.

“We have a lot to learn from each other.”

(Nicholas Peters)

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