Tourism groups in one-day expo
In an attempt to spur the tourism sector on the eve of the millennium, the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) held a one-day tour expo at the Hotel Tower's Cazabon restaurant yesterday to highlight offerings here. Tour operators and hotel chains representing the major resorts were on hand trying to capture some of the visitors to the country who have been arriving to greet the new millennium. Those represented at the expo included Cara Lodge and Cara Suites with their hotel chain, Lake Mainstay resort, Shell Beach Adventures which organises trips to the hinterland, Shanklands Rainforest Resort and Evergreen Adventures which operates Baganara Island Resort. Also showcasing their attractions were Arrowpoint which is operated by Roraima Tours, Whitewater Adventure tours, Emerald Towers, Timberhead and Wilderness Explorers. Stabroek News toured the expo and spoke to some of the representatives of groups mounting displays. President of THAG and Cara executive, Shaun McGrath stated that the organisations were hopeful of a positive response to their campaign. He viewed the event as an occasion for local members of the industry to capture business for the foreseeable future. Ecotourism, he asserted, was set to take off in a big way and places like Guyana with its unique product were likely to benefit handsomely. McGrath reiterated his call for government to place greater emphasis on the development of the industry. He said this should include the awarding of incentives to facilitate its growth. Manager of Evergreen Adventures Abdoul Wahab Ba was equally enthusiastic about the impact of the expo. His hope was for business to pick up by January after Christmas and suspicions associated with the Y2K changeover are overcome. The need for a change of attitudes was also highlighted especially as it related to littering.
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