GuyExpo 2000 has attracted 180 organisations to date Tourism component of GDP to be computed Stabroek News August 12, 2000 So far 180 organisations have registered for the Guyana Export Promotion Exhibition, GuyExpo 2000, and preparations to date are being described as "very good" for the upcoming August 24-27 exercise. In addition, GuyExpo is also planning a seminar for August 25 on investment opportunities in Guyana to coincide with the event. Speaking at a news conference on Thursday on what "may be the largest" Trade and Investment Fair here ever, Minister of Trade, Tourism and Industry Geoffrey Da Silva said the focus will be on small and medium scale businesses to promote the creation of jobs. However, when asked about the difficulties facing these two categories of businesses in accessing financing, Da Silva said government, along with the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED), is currently looking at two options by way of a Special Fund or the commercial banks. Underscoring the need for joint ventures and alliances such as that clinched by Mazaruni Granite Products Limited (MGPL), Da Silva announced that buyers and investors, along with Heads of Missions, are coming in from Canada, the United States, Brazil and the Caribbean. He reiterated, like many before him, that Guyana needed to become export-oriented, noting that his Ministry is also cooperating with the Ministry of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock. President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) Gerry Gouveia is "excited" about GuyExpo 2000 as a viable opportunity to promote the tourism product. He said that "an enormous number of Guyanese are returning home", gauging from hyped up activities at the hotels and resorts. However, when asked about visitor arrival figures, he was unable to provide statistics but said these would be available in September, adding that most of the travel is "within Guyana". Nonetheless, Gouveia said that this year's GuyExpo augurs well for his tourism industry, pointing out that a piece of legislation for the sector is currently being put together for parliamentary passage. According to him, tourism has great economic potential, and as Da Silva had stated before, his Ministry was setting up a satellite account to make tourism a separate component of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). That account would determine the amount of income raked in by tourism and was being done based on the Canadian experience. Thursday's press conference also heard from representatives of the jewellery and information technology sectors. With only two weeks away from the grand event, both of the representatives coordinating participation of their respective sectors admitted publicly that they had not yet initiated contact with their counterparts. Fortunately, the representative of the Guyanese Organisation of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP) was sure of her group's participation and noted that almost everything pertaining to the culture of the 'first peoples' will be presented from foods to craft and even the game of archery. GuyExpo, which started in 1994, is being held this year under the theme "Showcasing Guyana for the new millennium". It hopes to stimulate the export of local products and services and to encourage joint ventures and direct investment in manufacturing, agro-processing, tourism, furniture, handicraft, information technology, textiles and jewellery sectors. Last year's planned event had to be postponed because of a poor showing by businesses affected by the two-month public service strike. Nevertheless, the fifth GuyExpo is coming with what organisers termed "a different, but attractive slant" where a touch of the wild and exotic will come to life in displays of livestock, wildlife and aquarium fish. Follow the goings-on in Guyana in Guyana Today