| GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) — The world economic downturn has significantly affected the tourism sector in the Caribbean with many countries recording a drop in tourist arrivals. However, Guyana’s tourist arrivals for January - October, 2009 have placed the country in the top position above Caribbean countries in a recent report done for the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO).
The figures were quoted in the ‘Outlook for the Global Economy and Caribbean Tourism’ which was done by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company in England. The report places Guyana above other countries with over six percent increase for the period. Jamaica and Cuba recorded under four percent increase while other countries including the Dominican Republic, Aruba, Dominica, Curacao, Martinique, Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands, Belize and St Lucia recorded significant decreases.
 |
Guyana Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad.
GINA Photo |
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Manniram Prashad noted that Guyana is now number one in the Caribbean in terms of increases in tourist arrivals over 2008.
“We have been vindicated in what we have been saying all along that Guyana has seen an increase in arrivals for 2009. At the end of October we had figures close to nine percent and at the recent meeting held in St Lucia, (the CTO meeting), Guyana came in for high praise in terms of having increased its arrivals over 2008. Most of the countries have suffered a decline in tourist arrivals up to October,” the Minister said.
According to the report, “The Caribbean has borne the brunt of the economic downturn with double-digit declines in visits across the majority of destinations. Only Guyana, Jamaica, Cuba and Saba have registered increases for the year.”
He expressed his gratitude for the work of stakeholders in the industry including tour operators and hotel and resort owners, in facilitating the improvements in the sector. He pointed out that what remains to be done is to concentrate on the quality of the service provided since Guyana has been ranked highly in the report.
The Minister pointed out that there has been much work in ensuring that Guyana’s tourism sector is diversified to offer alternative avenues including birding, sport fishing, town days, and regattas.
“We are happy with the growth in tourism, we are happy with the quality and the improvement that we have seen in tourism,” the Minister said.
Expanding tourism
New areas have been developed in recent times to include birding which has opened a new horizon for Guyana facilitating a steady flow of visitors. The Ministry in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Guyana Trade and Investment Support (GTIS) programme a birding programme was developed.
“Birding has taken off, there are a lot of birders came this year and last year and we expect more and more to come next year,” Prashad said.
Birding is now one of the main attractions in the sector with visitors from Europe and other parts of the world coming to enjoy the 800 species of birds in Guyana.
Guyana has been featured in birding magazines which have touted the country as one of the best birding tourism destinations in the world.
“We would need to have more resorts in the birding areas especially in that corridor where we have the Iwokrama field station, Surama, Rock View and Karanambo. Most of those resorts are booked until 2010,” the Minister said.
Staycation
Prashad pointed out that to encourage more local tourism; private sector has been getting involved in promoting the idea of ‘Staycation’.
“Recently we saw the Aracari Resort launching their Staycation concept which we have been talking about. President Jagdeo at the tourism summit some time ago made the call for affordable domestic tourism, that is what staycation is all about, we are encouraging Guyanese instead of going abroad to travel within Guyana, see all the beautiful locations that we have,” Prashad said.
Increased air travel
The increase in visitors and returning Guyanese has prompted several changes in the airline industry with several airlines putting on additional flights.
“There will be additional flights by Delta throughout the Christmas season, they would have a flight per day, and Caribbean Airlines would be increasing sometimes two to three flights per day,” the Minister said.
He also pointed out that Titan Tours would be continuing on December 7 with their one-hop non-stop flight from Toronto every week until the end of the holiday season. Sky Service will also be offering once weekly flights from Toronto to Guyana, the Minister said.
Meanwhile, the Minister said that the Ministry is looking forward to welcoming visitors during the upcoming Christmas season.
“We expect this to be one of the biggest and brightest Christmas ever. We are assured that the electricity supply will be good, that’s an area of concern, we are assured that we will have a bright Christmas,” Prashad said. |
