Guyanese and visitors can look forward to a packed calendar of events for this November as Tourism Awareness Month gets underway. The theme, Tourism: Promoting Sustainability, Celebrating Diversity focuses on two key areas; highlighting the country as a leading sustainable destination with emphasis on nature, adventure and cultural experiences and encouraging all Guyanese to celebrate the diversity of the tourism product. This multicultural and diverse industry (both in people and the types of activities and experiences offered) has great potential to benefit Guyana as a whole.
As such the Guyana Tourism Authority in collaboration with the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) planned a series of events during this month. The activities were officially launched on October 31st. During this event, The Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, pointed to the fact that more emphasis needs to be placed on boosting awareness of what the country has to offer in terms of nature-based tours.
Meanwhile, the GTA Director, Mr. Brian Mullis assured that they will continue to work with the tourism private sector to ensure that Guyanese have access to affordable specials; not only during the month of November but year-round. In an effort to increase public awareness about these available products, a Tourism Sector Fair is planned for November 9th from 12:00h at the Giftland Mall. This activity will allow members of the general public to connect with operators, while the interaction will also serve as a stimulus for local travel within the destination. The GTA is encouraging everyone to visit the Fair and learn about available tours and opportunities to see the beauty of Guyana.
Participating companies include Old Fort Tours, Dagron Tours, Rainforest Tours, Evergreen Adventures, Lake Mainstay and Aruwai Resort. Tourism education and awareness is also one of the key focal points of the industry, as such, the Travel Industry and Operations Division of the GTA has also planned a series of ‘School Talks’ across the country beginning today November 8th and concluding on November 14th. Participating schools include the Linden Foundation Secondary School, Tutorial High School, JC Chandisingh Secondary School, and Anna Regina Secondary School. During this activity, GTA representatives will discuss a series of topics with the students, which will be geared towards highlighting the importance of tourism to national development. Through the various presentations, participants will be exposed to literature focused on the 2018 theme ‘Promoting Sustainability and Celebrating Diversity’.
One of the main aims of this activity is to foster a sense of ownership, among the students, for the tourism products within the identified communities. To add some excitement to the month-long celebrations, the Authority has also planned a Scavenger Hunt for November 24th, 2018. This fun filled physical activity is intended to engage the younger generation, to promote teamwork and drive conversation about tourism. While the GTA has a series of events planned for the month-long celebrations, THAG and the Tourism Department of the Ministry of Business will also be hosting events including Guyana Restaurant Week, Regional Tourism Planning & Development Workshops and the launch of the Guyana Rum Route among others. For more information, please visit www.guyanatourism.com, contact Nicola Balram at [email protected], or call (592) 219-0093 or (592) 624-0410.
