Test run for 'Guianas Trail' by year end
International tour operators will be invited for a test run of the Guianas Trail by the end of the year and this package will be an option for all tourists as early as next year all things being equal. Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, Roger LeFrancois of ARA Consulting Group/HLA consultants, one of the specialists working on this joint eco-tourism venture between Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, said because all three of these countries already have products to offer, the trail will build on what exists, package it to international standards and then operators will be invited to sample it and give their views. As such, the venture does not require a heavy outlay of capital. Rather, it is the support of the tourists and the tour operators and the implementation of this project in the correct way that will be paramount. However, international funding agencies which are interested in such partnerships have been approached. The trail will be unique in that its start need not be restricted to any specific place. Nor will it be a trek from one country to the next. Tourists will be provided with a menu of options to choose from and once a decision is made, they will be guided throughout their adventure. In terms of affordability for locals, both LeFrancois and Dr Edward Essed, executive director of the Suriname Tourism Foundation, agreed that it was a sensitive issue. The package has to be commercially viable and the price comparable so that the prospective tourist will take it seriously. But they assured that the respective communities stood to benefit as the venture will create income for them and the possibilities will be endless. On Sunday evening, the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) signed an agreement on behalf of Guyana for co-operation between the three countries. This will further boost prospects for the trail. The idea for the trail emerged out of a need to find a product that could compete with international tourist packages yet not interfere with nature. On Friday, Dr Essed and Le Francois, presented it at the Fourth Caribbean Tourism Organisation Conference on Sustainable Development. The conference ended yesterday.
|