Tourism ties between Guyana and Brazil strengthened

Amidst Venezuela’s economic crisis

Ties between Guyanese and Brazilian tourism operators have been strengthened following a networking conference in Boa Vista, Brazil, last week which sought to promote enhanced awareness of the Rupununi and its potential to develop a better understanding of the Brazilian market.
It was disclosed during the conference that interest in Guyana had risen due to the economic and political turmoil in Venezuela, which was once a popular destination for Brazilians.
According to a statement from Visit Rupununi, the Brazilians also want to see more of their country and states like Roraima in

collaboration with Guyana. It stated that shopping tourism and community-based tourism are becoming more attractive avenues for Brazilian travellers.
The two-day conference was organised by Visit Rupununi, in collaboration with the Department of Tourism for Roraima; Vice Consul, Brazil to Guyana; Consulate General of Guyana to Brazil; and Conservation International-Guyana (CI-Guyana).
It stated that the collaboration was regarded by participants as timely and a significant step in developing the cross border tourism sectors in Guyana’s Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo) and its neighbouring state, Roraima in Brazil.
However, challenges were discussed and both countries highlighted the difficulties which needed to be overcome in order to facilitate tourism development. It pointed out that there is limited information on Guyana and the Rupununi, expensive travel cost, the language barrier, policy regulations in relation to cross-border movement of people and vehicles, as well as the state of the Lethem to Linden road – all serving as barriers.
Thus, the participants proposed action plans be developed to tackle these issues.
Further, as another result of this collaboration, Visit Rupununi and its affiliated tourism operators were invited by their Brazilian counterparts to share an exhibition booth at the Associação Brasileira de Agéncias de Viagems (ABAV) International Tourism Expo in São Paulo, Brazil in September. ABAV is the largest tourism fair in Brazil.
In the interim, Visit Rupununi will be hosting a ‘familiarisation trip’ at the end of August throughout the Rupununi for tour operators from Roraima (Brazil) who have indicated a strong interest in including the region as part of their tourism packages. This activity will allow for the Brazilian operators to learn and understand Guyana and the Rupununi products they intend to market as part of their programmes.
Guyana was represented by tour operators Ron Allicock, of Ron Allicock Birding Tours; Melanie McTurk of Karanambu Lodge; Jacqueline Allicock of Surama Eco-Lodge; Jonathan Joseph of Ariwa Beach; Kayla De Freitas and Leroy Ignacio of Rupununi Trails; and Daniel Gajie of Rupununi Eco Hotel.
It was stated that the Brazilian operators indicated that their customers want to explore additional tourism markets. These markets included spiritual tourism (reconnecting with nature) and gastronomic tourism (tasting cultural dishes unique to a country). Guyana’s unique and diverse cultures and the Rupununi’s distinct natural environment and indigenous cultures were outlined as attractions that can support both markets.
The event was supported by Conservation International-Guyana under the “Leveraging Natural Capital in Guyana’s Rupununi” project being implemented by the organisation. This project is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), and will create and strengthen sustainable local-level community-based enterprises with a focus on nature-based tourism and agriculture, which have been indicated as the most adequate tool to foster sustainable development in the Rupununi.