President Dr Irfaan Ali outlined a necessary course of action to enhance Guyana’s tourism product and the synergy needed to compete at the highest level.
He made this remark during the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) President’s Award Dinner and Auction on Saturday evening at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown.
The Head of State pointed out that his government sees tourism as a centre part of the growth story for our country.
“Tourism is going to be one of the main components in the structure of our economy now and in the future. So, tourism has an important place in the future,” he noted.
However, President Ali explained that in order for the tourism industry to thrive in Guyana then it has to be structured as an ‘economic model’ that will allow for prosperity and expansion thus enhancing the country’s development. This, he added, requires several pertinent steps, including greater collaboration between the private and public sectors.
“The model must bring a structure that brings along all the stakeholders, and this is what is needed… We have to have seamless coordination between government policy, tourism developers and financial institutions.”
“The policy is important but the policy is not the model. The model is what we’re going to implement and what will be the core attributes of what we’re going to sell to the world, and the policy is what is going to support that model,” the Guyana Leader stated.
Moreover, the Head of State also spoke of ways of branding Guyana and its products and the uniqueness of the country’s indigenous people and their traditions.
In addition to Guyana’s nature-based and community tourism, the President further said that Guyana can also focus on birding tourism, health and wellness tourism and sport tourism.
Meanwhile, President Ali also called for “more consortiums and the building of partnerships” as he reminded the stakeholders that their competitors are outside of Guyana.
The Government, he explained, is already focused on building out the infrastructure needed, making the necessary international connections and instituting the needed policies and laws.
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