Guyana Tourism Authority closer to achieving 2024 goals

Mar 10, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News – February was an incredibly productive month for the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) from the training and product development initiatives to national events, each activity took the authority a step closer to achieving its goals for 2024.

The GTA, with the support of its tour operators, participated in the Guyana Energy Conference & Supply Chain Expo 2024. It was an amazing networking event, where attendees interacted with tour operators about the tour experiences available and, of course, took a sample of the classic El Dorado 5-Year-Old Rum. Blackwater Adventures sponsored a giveaway where ten individuals enjoyed an afternoon Demerara Sunset Cruise.

Led by Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, CEO of Go Invest, 45 Guyanese businesses were in attendance and benefitted from this major networking event. The GTA was represented by Ms.s Shellon Nicholas, the Tourism Marketing Officer with responsibility for Events and Candace Phillips, Manager of Product Development.

The duo also participated in an Agri-Exchange and Tourism Connect Event, which fostered collaborations between the travel trade of Barbados and Guyana with an emphasis on the development of multi-destination itineraries. Tour operators Wanderlust Adventures GY and Dagron Tours were also present.

Members of the GTA, Tourism Stakeholders Guyana and the Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana met with North American Marketing Representation Firms, Emerging Destinations and Corner Sun Marketing.

The introductory meetings were held at the Guyana Tourism Authority’s office, and stakeholders were engaged in discussions surrounding the representative’s plans to promote and foster collaborations in the North American Market.

In January, the GTA announced its official partnership with these two North American firms to strengthen its marketing and promotional efforts for Destination Guyana.

In January and February 2024, the GTA hosted a Tourism Business Licensing Clinic in Georgetown and Lethem. Several persons benefitted from this initiative and were able to kick start their tourism business development process.

For one day, existing and new tourism businesses were able to connect with key regulatory agencies to expedite the processes and address the challenges related to registering and licensing their businesses. Of the agencies present, Go Invest, Maritime Administrative Department, National Insurance Scheme, Environmental Protection Agency, Guyana Revenue Authority, Guyana Fire Service, Central Housing & Planning Authority, Guyana Lands & Survey Commission, Nalico/Nafico, Demerara Mutual and BrinsJen Systems Development Specialists demonstrated the utmost patience and knowledge while interacting with the participants and guiding them through the relevant policies.

This collaborative effort emphasized the GTA’s commitment to promoting multi-sectoral tourism development and accelerating the country’s transformational process through innovative measures.

The GTA also facilitated delivering quality service training for 26 Kingston seawall esplanade vendors. These vendors will be plying their trade along the newly renovated Kingston Seawall as part of the First Lady – Arya Ali’s national beautification project.

In collaboration with Breeze Travel, the GTA hosted a Book and Payment Online Seminar for its tour operators and tourism stakeholders. This seminar was an important step towards exploring strategies to improve the online booking and payment system for travellers and guests, ensuring a seamless experience. Breeze Travel Inc. is a technology-led travel company and tour operator dedicated to helping digitally transform travel to and within the Caribbean.

The GTA also facilitated a Business Development Toolkit training session with 16 participants.

This session, led by Marlon George, a master trainer attached to the GTA, guided participants through strategic areas of business development and how they can implement these areas in the daily operations of their businesses.

The GTA led Tourism Ambassador Training for Taxi Drivers in the Essequibo Region. Twenty taxi drivers engaged in this session to introduce them to critical areas needed to provide exceptional hospitality and tourism services during their day-to-day activities.

The GTA conducted a site and product assessment of the “Moonlight ATV Tour” hosted by Savannah Tours Guyana. The official itinerary takes travellers through Yarrowkabra and Hauraruni Village, immersing them in ATV riding beneath the moonlight. The sandpits provide a picturesque setting for a bonfire, marshmallow roasting, and captivating storytelling before the return journey to Savannah Tours headquarters in Yarrowkabra.

The GTA, with support from licensed tour operators Evergreen Adventures, Trail Masters Adventure Tours and Wanderlust Adventures GY, recently conducted a product assessment of Ride Along GY’s official “Rum Tour”. This itinerary introduces an exciting addition to Guyana’s tourism scene, offering visitors and locals the opportunity to savour samples of Guyana’s finest spirits, including XM 7-Year-Old, XM 10-Year-Old, and XM 12-Year-Old.

 

 

 

 

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• Breeze Travel, CEO of Go Invest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, Guyana met with North American, the GTA hosted, Tourism Business Licensing Clinic in Georgetown

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