5 additional tourism businesses get conditional approvals to reopen

The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has announced that five additional tourism establishments have been granted conditional approvals to reopen.
On Thursday it was stated that Adel’s Resort, Anna Regina, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Aracari Hotel Inc, West Bank Demerara (WBD), Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Castle Royale Hotel, Tuschen, Region Three; Splashmin’s Fun Park, Linden-Soesdyke Highway, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Surama Eco-Lodge, North Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) will soon begin welcoming guests to their properties based on the guidelines of the National COVID-19 measures and the GTA’s recommended hygiene and sanitation protocols.

Currently, 63 per cent of interior lodges and resorts, and 43 per cent of tour operators have received conditional approvals to reopen.
GTA Director Carla James-Vantull reminded all establishments that “they must maintain the protocols as outlined by the GTA and the national gazetted measures to operate in a safe way during the pandemic”.
“Monitoring and enforcement activities are done by several agencies on-site and virtually. Failure to adhere to these measures will result in the revocation of the conditional approval tied to the COVID-19 measures and one-month suspension. Recognising that tourism and hospitality businesses have been and continue to be impacted by the pandemic, we are confident businesses that have received their conditional approval will enforce the national safety measures accordingly,” James-Vantull said.

In the latter part of 2020, 12 other tourism business entities namely Rewa Eco-Lodge, Wanderlust Adventures, Baganara Island Resort, Hurakabra River Resort, Rock View Lodge, Waikin Ranch, Elite Kayaking & Nature Tours, Atta Rainforest Lodge, Iwokrama River Lodge, Sloth Island Nature Resort and Arrowpoint Nature Resort were given the greenlight by the GTA to resume operations also under strict COVID guidelines and measures.

In accordance with Section 6 (6) of No 19 gazetted COVID-19 Safety Measures, the GTA, with no objection from the Health Ministry and the National COVID-19 Task Force, granted a conditional approval for the reopening of these establishments, permitting hosting of guests for day tours and overnight stays, indoor/outdoor dining at the restaurants and bars of hotels at 60 per cent capacity; hosting of meetings, workshops, conferences and other small events in dining meeting facilities at 60 per cent capacity, and recreational activities on beaches and in rivers and creeks such as kayaking, jet skiing, and swimming, among other things.
The GTA continues to provide training and technical support to tourism establishments to help them attain the conditional approval to operate safely under the national emergency measures.
Additionally, travellers are also reminded to use only those tourism businesses that have been GTA-approved to ensure that the required safety measures are implemented for a safe travel or dining experience.
A full list of these businesses (tourism accommodation establishments, interior lodges and resorts, and tour companies) that have received conditional approval can be found on the GTA’s Facebook profile under the albums titled “Safe for Travel” and “Safe for Dining”.