Tourism realities

In recent months, observers of Guyana’s tourism industry have noted the contributions coming from both government and private sector in a number of energetic moves that translate into very hopeful signs for the industry. These include the expanding international yachting interest in the Essequibo, the start-up of Copa Airlines service to Guyana, the projected upgrading and expansion of our international airport at Timehri, and the growing interest in our adventure tourism and sport fishing potential being reflected in television programmes abroad.

In contemplating these developments, however, commendable as they are, observers of our Guyana tourism prospects are also noting that as the public and private sectors combine to pull the tourism cart uphill there are conditions in the country, beyond the remit of the Tourism Ministry, operating like millstones at the back of the cart.

First on the list is the degraded state of our environment into which we are working to attract visitors.  Undoubtedly, people outside Guyana are impressed by the various videos and articles about the country’s stunning landscape with its mountains and rivers and waterfalls, and by our unique nature environment of animals and birds.  That kind of publicity, increasingly seen on the internet, often at little cost to us, will certainly put the country on the radar of visitors as a potential destination; it constitutes a very positive pull.  However, persons using that