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Business Ministry pushing for expanded hinterland-based tourism
Minister of Business Dominick Gaskin said Guyana is keen to expand the hinterland community-based tourism projects.
The Minister made the disclosure to tourism delegates from South America and the Caribbean who attended the 24th Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Tourism at the Marriott, Georgetown, last week.
“We would like to expand and enhance the range of hinterland community-based tourism projects currently existing in our country and we will therefore be playing close attention to the examples of other countries in this regard,” Gaskin stated.
He also expressed the need for Guyana’s inclusion in the crafting of regional tourism plans.
“Guyana certainly looks forward to improving and increasing partnerships for promotion and expansion of tourism. It is my hope that we can build relations based on mutual interest in providing new and exciting multi-destination packages,” Gaskin stated.
A booth at the congress displaying the Iwokrama International Centre.
In January, Government announced the restructuring of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and hired US expert Brian Mullis as Director of the agency.
Millions of dollars were being plugged into the authority annually with safaris and shows overseas not quite getting the job done, especially in the absence of a major budget.
The agency has struggled over the years to place Guyana on the tourism map.
Mullis is said to have years of experience and is internationally recognised as a leader in sustainable tourism development.
He is the founder of Sustainable Travel International with 26 years of experience directing non-profit and for-profit companies, working in protected areas, fundraising, and leading successful projects in 58 countries.
Recently, Government announced it has hired an overseas firm to help market Guyana.
“As a late comer to the tourism industry, we see tourism as a vital means of improving lives and eliminating poverty as we see sustainable tourism as the only option for securing long-term benefits for this particular economic activity,” Gaskin pointed out.
The future of tourism in Guyana, Gaskin noted, is integrally connected to the future of tourism in the Americas.
AIR CONNECTION
Attendees at the confab expressed the need for cheaper and more efficient means of air travel. Gaskin expressed hope that Guyana can benefit from more and better air connections.
The Secretary General of the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Hugh Riley, has called for the removal of the barriers to entry around the Caribbean to improve connectivity.
“Intra Caribbean tourism is critical, but that has to work hand-in-glove with connecting people who want to come into a particular catchment area of the Caribbean and enjoy the benefits of intra-Caribbean tourism,” Riley said.
He added, “The whole business of twin destination or multi-destination tourism has to be properly explored and has to be properly implemented. This means we have to fix the connectivity.”
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