Agri-Tourism Expo ‘to spur greater interest and investment’

Agri-Tourism Expo ‘to spur greater interest and investment’ – Min. Rajkumar

Nov 02, 2019 News

As Agriculture Month concludes and Tourism Month begins, the Agri-Tourism Expo serves as the perfect transition activity that encompasses the marriage that can occur between the two sectors.

Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Brian Mullis.

The official launch of the event occurred on Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. It will last from November 1-2, 2019, and features booths from both agro-processors and tour operators, as well as several small businesses.
While tourism is not something that Guyana was traditionally known for, in recent years, the country has managed to secure several accolades in the tourism sector internationally. As such, in his remarks at the official opening, Minister of Business, Haimraj Rajkumar, highlighted the aim of the exposition.
“This event is meant to spur greater interest and investment, in an area which is under-exploited in Guyana, but for which there is so much potential. While other countries are enjoying the benefits of agri-tourism, we here in Guyana are seeking to make it a thriving addition to our tourism product.”
“In addition to helping us realise the value of tourism as an export, the event further ties in with Guyana’s focus and drive towards sustainable green development.”
Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, in his speech, showed just how vital these sectors are to a ‘Green’ Guyana.

Minister of Business, Haimraj Rajkumar engaging with one of the agro-processing booths

“When we speak to sustainable development, immediately, these two sectors come to mind because they are inseparable to sustainable green development. By their very nature, they are eco-friendly means of caring and earning income.”
Guyana has been awarded a number of honours and titles in the tourism sector, such as the “Best in Eco-Tourism”. These awards have helped to boost Guyana as a destination for international tourists. As they look to help promote tourism to locals, Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Brian Mullis disclosed some of the plans that the agency has in the pipeline.

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Sydney Allicock makes a stop at one of the booths during his rounds.

“We are focusing more and more on working with Region 2, for the same reason, you’ll hear us launching with Region 2, an initiative to formalise that tourism circuit with some new products that we have been working on in a few Indigenous communities there. You’ll also be hearing more and more about, as the new year progresses, new Guyana getaways, where our operators are offering discounts that are accessible to residents.”
During the launch of Tourism Awareness Month, several other tours that would appeal to locals were also launched. These include the ‘Seven Curry Tour’ in the capital city and the ‘Moraikobai Day Tour’. These are said to be ideal for the locals.