Seeing our country
Editorial
In our What the People Say feature on Monday people were asked [please note: link provided by LOSP web site] what was the most popular tourist resort in Guyana and where they spent their holidays. The answers on the first question ranged from Baganara, to Baracara, to Kaiteur (there is no resort there, though) to Shanklands, to the Mainstay Holiday resort, to Bartica and resorts in the Corentyne river. The answers to the second question revealed that most of the persons interviewed had never been to these resorts as they could not afford to do so. This is a genuine problem. These resorts are run by entrepreneurs, some of them well known, who have invested a great deal of money to build and develop them. They need to cover their costs and make a profit. The resorts are well run and they do their best to attract business. But the prices for a day's outing (and for staying one or more nights) are beyond the reach of a majority of Guyanese. The entrepreneurs would no doubt welcome the extra business. Is a solution available? More than one interviewee suggested that special prices be fixed for Guyanese. Would that be limited to Guyanese resident here? Is this feasible? Resorts anywhere are not cheap, and overheads are high. Could special no frills cut price outings be arranged once or twice a month, or perhaps midweek to cater for Guyanese resident here who are on leave in which, say, they take their own food and drink? These resorts are often empty. There is clearly, from the answers given, a potential market of some dimensions out there. Can something be worked out? Can boat owners provide cheaper fares for special outings to the resorts? The resort owners include some distinguished entrepreneurs. Can they come up with a proposal? And though internal tourism, so to speak, may not strictly be within the jurisdiction of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana they may well have some ideas on the matter. Perhaps someone can devise a tour with a larger boat which takes people up one of the three main rivers on the weekend with brief stop offs at various resorts, the emphasis being on making it as cheap as possible. It is one way of letting Guyanese see more of the splendour and beauty of their own country.
|