Barbados, Guyana ink MoU to boost tourism in Guyana

The Tourism & Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) and the Barbados Coalition of Services Industries (BCSI) on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to help boost the tourism sector in Guyana.
Executive Director of the BCSI, Michelle Smith-Mayers, explained that Barbados would be conducting a needs analysis in Guyana to see where assistance can be provided.
“We are happy to be able to assist THAG wherever we can. We are trying to do an analysis of what the needs are. We know a lot of those…are going to be behavioural change,” Smith-Mayers shared during a simple signing ceremony.
President of THAG, Harrinand Persaud, expressed gratitude to the Government of Barbados for their collaborative efforts, and added that he is looking forward to working with the BCSI.
“We could definitely gain a lot from Barbados. They have been very busy and popular with tourists, and Guyana is now [in] the spotlight. So, we hope that we can offer the same level of service and quality that Barbados is known for. This is definitely a step in the right direction …we look forward to working together,” Persaud shared.
Specifically, the MoU will facilitate the opportunity to engage the services of Smith-Mayers and her wealth of knowledge in the structure and management of the national Tourism and Hospitality Association, to advise and assist THAG in achieving its strategic objectives. These include maintaining and expanding THAG’s role as the collective voice and advocate for the policies, regulations and other supports needed for the growth of the tourism and hospitality industry; as well as strengthening and expanding THAG’s role in providing and facilitating training and skills development opportunities tailored to the needs of the tourism and hospitality sector.
These services, which will be free of cost, would allow THAG to be better positioned to contribute meaningfully within the industry, to fulfill the training and marketing mandates within the St. Barnabas Accord.
On July 5, 2022, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Motley, and the President of Guyana, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, signed the St. Barnabas Accord in Paramaribo, Suriname. Point three of the accord covers Tourism and International Transport.