Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Com-merce, Oneidge Walrond on Thursday underlined in Parliament that airlift capacity had expanded rapidly between 2021 and 2023.
Speaking on the 2024 budget, Walrond boasted about tourism arrivals and airlift expansion.
“Arrivals for 2023 surpassed the previous highest recorded in 2019 by about 5,000 persons. The fact is that arrivals reached a record-breaking total of 319,056 which stands as Guyana’s highest-recorded number of visitors to date,” Walrond reported.
She added that 2023 witnessed an overall increase in arrivals including a 273% increase in visitors compared to 2020, surpassing even the pre-pandemic peak of 2019.
“2023 saw the highest number of arrivals in Guyana ever. High numbers were recorded in March, April, July, September and November. Cricket Carnival coupled with CPL which we worked hard to secure the rights for, boosted arrivals in September.”
Similarly, airlift capacity (jumped) from 2021 to 2023, reaching 1.2 million seats. This was due to the addition of new airlines like British Airways, American Airlines …as well as increased frequency from existing carriers.
“Mr Speaker, airlift capacity rose from 226,000 seats in 2021 to just over 1,000,000 in 2022, and again to 1.2 million seats in 2023”, she said.
On Friday, shadow Minister of Tele-communication, Cathy Hughes said that the advent of airlines such as American Airlines and Jet Blue Lines ended an era of unpredictable charter airlines and Guyanese citizens languishing on benches in airports in Trinidad and Barbados, which she said happened under the PPP.
“Today as should be, this administration has continued the expansions in the local and international travel industry.
“We therefore compliment all the players that have contributed positively in this area and welcome announcements by the Minister of the many new hotels and new airlines on the cards.”
Hughes also gave several recommendations which she believes are feasible for the development of tourism and can be addressed in the trillion-dollar budget.
Hughes, who is also the opposition’s spokeswoman on tourism, noted that the sector has been developing over the last two decades due to the commitment and intervention by the private sector.
She said that the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and previous governments have developed a superior eco-tourism product and brand. As such Hughes said that she is supportive of government’s investments in the sector.
“I recalled in November 2015 representing Guyana at the World Travel Market in London, hosting meetings with Jet Blue and British Airways with an aviation consultant recruited by the then APNU+AFC Government.”
“On Thursday, it was clear that the Minister of Tourism erroneously felt that she alone had been working on British Airways, as it was a long time in the works. But the real issue here… is that such engagements, such expansions, are what we are supposed to do as leaders and government. Someone starts the run and maybe it’s someone else that finishes the race,” she told the National Assembly.
She argued that due to the vision of the former APNU+AFC Government, reputable international airlines like American and Jet Blue were able to come to fruition.
Hughes also gave several recommendations which she believes are feasible for the development of tourism and can be addressed in the trillion-dollar budget.
Recommendations
It was proposed that the duty-free vehicle exemptions be amended to apply to 4×4 vehicles and 4×4 buses. 4×4 vehicles and 4×4 buses less than 10 years old should be permitted in the interior. These vehicles are widely used for tourism safaris and in areas that are comparable to the interior.
As such, a clearly defined process outlining how companies can secure this exception should be made available online, along with an online application.
Any tour operator licensed by the Guyana Tourism Authority should receive duty-free and VAT exemptions.
The Shadow Tourism Minister said that the granting of concessions for 4 x 4 vehicles is not a luxury but a necessity to enhance of the product, the quality of service and most importantly the safe transfer of guests from one location to another.
“We recommend that licensed companies be given duty-free status for up to three suitable vehicles once every five years.
“The cost of travelling to the interior is expensive. Guyana is losing domestic market share to neighbouring countries, and international market share to comparable destinations worldwide”, she reasoned.
