With the aim of providing support to the Village Council and the Tourism Committee, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) ,in a partnership with the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry and Rainforest Tours, conducted a tourism product assessment at Moraikobai Village in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) last week.
The purpose of the assessment is to support an action-oriented roadmap for tourism development in Moraikobai; a successful tour guide and culinary arts training was also executed within the community.
Some participants at the workshop
With project support from the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, the construction of an eco- lodge has already commenced within the community. I t is expected to make new tourism products accessible from different parts of Guyana. Key products to be developed are designed for nature enthusiasts, birders, sports fishers, and other travellers who are looking for authentic cultural experiences.
GTA Director Brian Mullis stated that the agency prioritised tourism development mainly in Indigenous communities throughout Guyana. “Inspired by the world-class examples in Surama, Rewa, and Yupakari villages, the Ministry of Business, through the GTA and in collaboration with the [Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs] MoIPA, has made it a priority to scale up community-owned and -led tourism development in Indigenous communities nationwide.”
Some of the participants in discussion with GTA officials
The GTA during the visit shared its expertise and guided the community in addressing challenges, assessing visitor readiness, identifying and prioritising opportunities, and setting the course to build a more prosperous community-owned and -led tourism model in the village.
