Growing demand for Guyana’s eco-tourism met with tangible investments – PM

…Tourism Awareness Month launched

Placing Guyana on the pedestal as a premium eco-tourism destination has seen increased attraction from tourists, and the Government will continue to invest in this traditional sector.

Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips took this position on Tuesday at the launching of Tourism Awareness Month, done at the Watooka Guest House in Linden. In attendance were Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond; President of THAG, Harrinand Persaud; Chairman of the Region 10 Tourism Committee, Devin Sears; and Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arindell, among others.
The PM has voiced that this year’s theme, ‘All Sectors, One Tourism’, reinforces the Government’s commitment to inclusive development through its ‘One Guyana’ policy.

“It is no coincidence that this year’s theme is reminiscent of President Ali’s One Guyana vision, as there is a direct connection. One Guyana centres on the notion of unity: one country with one future. If we are to truly enjoy prosperity as Guyanese, we must now go forward with a mindset of unity and wholeness. So, when it comes to tourism, boosting all our sectors to create one dynamic destination sets us apart and bolsters our country’s development,” Phillips expressed.
According to him, sums of money are being injected to develop the traditional sectors, as Guyana also benefits from its vast oil revenues.
“The revenue stream is there. We will develop all the traditional sectors, and we see tourism – specifically eco-tourism – as one of the traditional sectors in Guyana, and we will continue to provide the necessary resources to develop that sector…,” he declared. “In Guyana, our tourism is vast and unique, boasting natural, ecological, and even agricultural attractions that have been calling visitors to our shores for many years.”
As Guyana continues to attract attention from the wider world, the Government has always placed tourism as a priority, given its development potential and Guyana’s natural portfolio, he added.
“As Guyana continues to attract the attention of the wider world, we have already committed to investing in our people through capacity building and hospitality management, quality assurance and other critical areas as we prepare for an influx of tourists ready to take in the magic of ‘Destination Guyana’. The evidence of our increased attraction is clear: our country received 103 percent increase in tourists as of 2022, compared to the same period for 2021. While the pandemic did affect visitor numbers last year, this year the numbers are still significant, and even more promising for the second, third, and definitely fourth quarter,” the PM added.
Further, he said that as the Government actively works to make Guyana a premier destination for eco-tourism, areas such as Linden are becoming more popular as tourism hotspots.
“Linden and other attractions are quickly becoming more familiar and attractive to the wider population of Guyana, and we applaud the growing interest. Already, the prospects are greater for Linden’s tourism following a $30 million investment last year as part of the Linden Waterfront Development Project,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Minister Walrond related that the main focus is now to develop the country, after coming out of the pandemic and withstanding the harsh effects which followed. There will be deliberate efforts to ensure that this year’s calendar of events is hosted all across the 10 administrative regions, she has promised.
“We come to these places because we believe that we must increasingly take some of our major national events and observances outside of the capital and bring them to the people, wherever they are all over the country. With this, we increase your national and international profile, which is invaluable to tourism and brings economic activity to the regions. Thus, economic benefits go all over the country, and not just the coastal and capital regions,” Minister Walrond has said.
Director of the GTA, Kamrul Baksh, highlighted that, for this month, a multitude of partnerships would materialise, such as Restaurant Week, and a number of tourism operators would create special discounted packages.