GA 2000, Lake Mainstay Resort in tour alliance Access road to be repaired By Desiree Jodah Stabroek News September 15, 2000 Guyana Airways 2000 and the Lake Mainstay Resort have signed an agreement for a package tour from North America for under US$1,000 in what was described as a historic move. Chief Executive Officer of GA 2000, Tom Scarlett, said at a press conference yesterday at the airline's office, that the one-week round/trip air and accommodation tourist package from New York and Toronto was a major step in promoting Guyana's tourism industry. The package includes two overnight stays in Georgetown with shopping tours in the city; four nights at Lake Mainstay Resort with tours to a fruit farm on the Pomeroon River and an Essequibo/Mazaruni River tour. The package, at US$999 for an adult and less than US$700 for children under 12 years, is based on double occupancy. It will be marketed in North America by GA 2000 and sold through the company's offices and travel agents in New York and Toronto. Lake Mainstay guests would be accommodated in self-contained, air-conditioned, lake view cottages with a private veranda, television, telephone and refrigerator. The package includes all meals and airport transportation. Scarlett noted that this was the first package tour partnership GA 2000 had established and gave Director of Demerara Investment Ltd, the parent company of Lake Mainstay Resort, credit for the joint venture. Minister of Trade, Tourism and Industry, Geoffrey Da Silva, announced that Cabinet had approved $2 million towards maintaining the access road to Mainstay. The condition of the road has been a cause of concern to the residents and directors of the resort as it threatens the viability of the resort. As a result, captains and residents of the two Amerindian districts in the area along with members of the private sector who use the road, have embarked on rehabilitating it with assistance from government. Da Silva also revealed that engineers were currently conducting an assessment of the road. He said that based on the results, government would make more money available. Marketing Director of Lake Mainstay, Mokesh Daby, said work on the road was expected to start by next week. He said the Amerindian communities of Mainstay/ Whyaka and St Deny's would contribute the sand, loam and manpower to rehabilitate the road. Da Silva, in lauding the joint venture, declared that there was a lot happening in the tourism industry. He said 15 travel agents from Jamaica were expected in the country shortly on a familiarisation tour. According to the minister, from information received, the Jamaicans have been showing increased interest in Guyana's eco-tourism. Jamaica's foreign trade minister, he said was also due in Guyana, next week at the head of a delegation, which would be staying at Lake Mainstay Resort during their visit to Essequibo. He said the joint package tour by the two companies could lead the way for a realistic vision of having 400,000 to 500,000 visitors a year to Guyana within the next five years. Guyana's Consul General to Toronto, Danny Doobay, in a telephone hook-up during the press conference described the partnership between GA 2000 and Lake Mainstay Resort as an "excellent move." He said the feedback received in Canada was that this summer had been the busiest in many years in terms of persons who had visited Guyana. He suggested that the other companies involved in the tourism industry form such strategic alliances and urged that the focus should not be on returning Guyanese only, but should spread further afield in the Caribbean, Central America and North America. Doobay said his office would do its best to assist in promoting the package in Canada. Chairman of Demerara Investment Ltd, Wilfred Jagnarine, disclosed that all local residents visiting Lake Mainstay with their overseas relatives would be given a 20% discount. He said this was a way of encouraging local citizens to take their visiting relatives to the resort. A domestic package to Mainstay will be announced early next month. Follow the goings-on in Guyana in Guyana Today