The Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) plans to put a number on the tourism sector’s contributions to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), in order to secure formal budgetary allocations.
THAG President Paul Stephenson made this announcement at the signing of agreements between THAG and Advertising and Marketing Services Guyana (AMS) at Cara Lodge on Tuesday.
He said the group had requested that an international body conduct a study to determine the sector’s contribution to the GDP, saying it would help in recognition of the sector and also furnish potential investors with a more solid idea of the cost of investing in Guyana.
The international agency, which was not named, will work with the private sector and the ministries. “Once we bring in the international agency we will have a document that shows how much money is generated, how much people work in the industry,” Stephenson said. “Our sector needs to stand up and say we’re an important sector… and we want the recognition,” he added. He also noted that once the data is acquired, THAG will ask the government to include the tourism sector in the National Budget. He noted that it is currently covered in the “Other Services” section of the budget.
THAG’s other initiatives include rebuilding its organisation, providing more training for industries within the tourism sector as well as strengthening security.
According to Stephenson, the Association has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Home Affairs on security and standards within the tourism sector and it recently identified in the Explore Guyana magazine accommodations that have met those requirements. “If we are to represent the sector, the sector needs to be held accountable,” said Stephenson. “The security… is vitally important for tourism development. We are working with the ministry to have a certificate, so that persons can know which accommodations are certified,” he added. Meanwhile there are also plans to engage the Foreign Affairs and Finance ministries, he said.
Touching on aviation in the sector, Stephenson queried why only helicopters with Guyana Defence Force logos are allowed in the sky. He posited that there is a market for helicopter tours. “We have to understand if we are to develop the tourism market, these things need to be looked at. Helicopter tours are a vital tool to the development of the industry,” he said.
He also called for more direct flights from international airports to Guyana. “We need to expand that direct shot… we are working with the airline sector to develop that,” he added.
According to Stephenson, packages for overseas-based Guyanese, who spend their holidays back home, also need to be developed. He also reminded the media that it has a huge responsibility in promoting tourism in the country.
Meanwhile, AMS Guyana has won the contract for publishing Explore Guyana magazine for the next five years. The magazine is touted as THAG’s “official guide to Guyana.” AMS Guyana has published the last nine editions of the magazine and, according to Stephenson, it has delivered exceptional quality service in those publications. AMS Guyana General Manager Vickram Singh said, “We won this contract based on the quality of work we have done… we are looking forward to a larger, better production.”
Every year 25,000 copies of Explore Guyana are published. Of the print run, 10,000 copies are given to the Tourism Ministry for free distribution while others are distributed overseas and throughout the tourism sector.
