Re-imagining tourism in Guyana, the interest and demand is growing

Feb 13, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – Guyana’s tourism product is in its infancy, but we have the potential to become a popular tourism destination. Think about this, excluding Guyanese in the diaspora, how many people do you think plan their vacations in Guyana similar to planning to visit Jamaica, Cuba, Barbados, Panama, Costa Rica, Italy, and so on? Increasing revenue and investment demand occasioned by Guyana’s production of oil, and its untapped oil and natural gas resources offer a unique opportunity for the Central and Regional Government and private sector to advance a more diverse and sophisticated tourism product. This means more jobs, joint venture opportunities with local tourist operators, land owners and other service providers. Guyana has the raw material and local expertise, the type of expertise and finances to take our tourism products to the next level are available in the Caribbean and Latin America, North America, Europe and Asia. Investors from these locations are literally knocking at our door, but have we envisioned and prioritised the level and diversity of tourism beyond what we currently see and experience?

We need to think bigger; the expertise and finances are available, we have the raw material in the form of our rivers, creeks, land, beaches, waterfalls and local knowledge. So where is the transformational tourism project? What is the wow factor for tourism? The government has investment in enhancing the aesthetics of several areas and these need to continue as it goes hand-in-hand with tourism experiences. There are areas such as the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, many parts of the Hinterland, locations in and along the Essequibo, Demerara, and Pomeroon rivers and other locations that can be designated and developed as high tourism potential areas or hubs. I’ve seen this done in Jamaica, Costa Rica, Barbados and several other countries.

Imagine for a minute, a rustic, brick-built cottage style hotel thoughtfully constructed in keeping with the natural beauty of Orinduik Falls. Imagine sitting under ambient lighting in a cozy restaurant with tall glass windows providing views of the falls or its streams, nestled somewhere along one of the curves of streams that feed and release the falls. Imagine hot tubs, a garden, several trails, romantic all-season benches strewn along a trail, surrounded by trees and other sites that include a falls view swimming pool and hot tub. Imagine Salbora Falls transformed into a regional recreational park with log cabins available for tourists wishing to stay overnight, trails, outdoor volleyball facility and an outdoor restaurant neatly tucked away in the nature.

The Soesdyke highway is another example of a potential tourism hub. With its numerous creeks, clear water channels, temperature variations, trees, sand, low population density, and other gems, this area is ripe for more sophisticated tourism. The copycat syndrome (for example, look how many bars from the Soesdyke and Timerhi junction offer the same services (alcohol, cutters, maybe pool, bars and loud music) to the same recycled crowds is most restrictive to realizing the potential of this area as a tourist hub.

Finally, enhancing the Camp Street to Vlissengen road section of the Atlantic seawall, and exploring ways of enlarge the national park and repurposing some of the lands that currently house sports clubs could elevate the tourist experience and products on this area. The beneficiaries of these lands should be duly compensated and/or invited to be partners in investing in tourism products. Such investments could have multiple, long-lasting benefits pertaining to the stated use of these properties. Upgraded spaces for meetings and socials, special rates for members and so on could be part of the details of a joint venture. Annually, most of these properties are under and scarcely utilized, and they cost money to maintain.

Leveraging our tourism potential requires big thinking, envisioning tourism experiences and products beyond the current status quo.

Sincerely
Rawle A. Small