Tourism Awareness Month: Tourism potential abounds in Regions 5 & 6

The potential for tourism in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) is great. This is according to Acting Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority, Kamrul Baksh.
The two regions are being highlighted this year by the Ministry as part of Tourism Awareness Month. Last year, Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) were highlighted.
This year Tourism Awareness Month 2022 is being observed under the theme, “All Sectors, One Tourism.”
According to Baksh, Region Five is well on its way to reaching its tourism potential. However, he noted that in both Regions Five and Six there are many locations that are not very popular but attractive and well-known.
The GTA’s role is to work with regional tourism committees to ensure that they are more known and to provide the necessary mentorship and support needed.
According to Baksh, this year GTA commenced working with those small or lesser-known operators. He said they are still assessing the products being offered by those operators.  
According to Baksh, among some of the sites with great tourism potential in Region Five are Dhandarry Nature Resort, the Fairy House and Parks Square.
“Other sites that have been prioritised for development include Moraikobai which is the only Indigenous community in the region and the Guyana Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism have been working with the community since 2016, and they were officially launched in 2020.”
He also highlighted the Mahaica Birding and Fishing Tours in Region Five.
“We have been working with them for the last few months to refine their experiences. That is one of the experiences that will be launched before the end of this year. So far, the Authority has launched seven products in the different regions and shortly we are to launch an additional six, and by December 7, we will launch an additional four products,” he added.
According to the Tourism Director, apart from the Number 63 Beach in Region Six, New Amsterdam is also a destination being focused on.
“You guys will have the opportunity to experience some new tours; down in the Canje River by a new operator – Blackwater Adventures and also the operator has managed to package the Fort Nassau – a Dutch heritage site which has historically been very difficult to package. It is a relatively new tour, just about two years old,” Baksh said.
Fort Nassau was the capital of the Dutch colony of Berbice, in present-day Guyana. It is situated on the Berbice River approximately 88km upstream of New Amsterdam.
Baksh said that through the Tourism Ministry, the GTA has been providing training and working closely with operators of tourist sites. Service delivery and first aid are some of the trainings provided.
“There is the Blairmont Sugar Estate sugar experience that we are working on. That can be packaged so that persons can have a sense of how sugar is produced and the history behind sugar.”
He said GTA is receiving tremendous support from Region Five Tourism Committee and other stakeholders inclusive of the Regional Democratic Councils that “are working on other products such as the Novar Beach experience. We are going to work with all stakeholders to ensure that the Berbice district has great tourism products”.
Tourism Awareness Month is a collaborative effort between the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry and the Guyana Tourism Authority. (G4)