EXECUTIVE Director of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Ms. Indira Anandjit, has stated that visitors of Guyana need not come to Georgetown, if they are fearful of the crime situation.

Speaking with the Government Information Agency (GINA) on the performance of the industry for the first half of this year, Ms. Anandjit pointed out that the crime wave now being experienced has not seriously impacted on tourist arrivals.

She added that Guyana's tourism product is found in the interior and not in the city.

Against this background, she explained that tour operators have had to resort to alternative methods of packaging their tours.

"Our tourism product is not in the city; our tourism is in the interior and people who are fearful of coming into the city, need not come.

"What the tour operators do now, is collect the tourists from the airport and whisk them off to the various locations," she explained.

However, she noted that while some genuine tourists have cancelled their visits, those attending conventions and conferences, have kept their dates.

As it relates directly to the tour operators, Anandjit explained that the operators have had to reschedule and repackage their itineraries.

"Yes, the cancellations are a direct result of the crime situation. It's the image `thing' of Guyana that has really spoiled a lot of our figures for now...and with all the advisories coming out of the foreign missions, there is nothing we can do at this point," she noted.

She said meetings were held with the embassies and concerns expressed about the negative impact created by their advisories.

Anandjit acknowledged that THAG has been guilty of not spearheading any damage control campaign, but noted the Ministry of Tourism's effort to counteract the challenge.

She also castigated the media for amplifying the situation.

She said that because of the manner in which the crimes are committed, they are splashed on the front pages and in doing so, have affected the overall image of this country.

She, however, remains optimistic about the industry and feels that there are persons who can "downplay" what is happening.

Anandjit believes that the crime wave has been blown out of proportion and pointed out that Guyana is not singular in this respect of crime.

She cited Jamaica and Trinidad where the crime situation has now apparently reached an alarming proportion.

"Yet what we have here seems to be such a big thing because it's new in the manner in which it is done," she observed.

The Executive Director emphasised that such reporting of the news has affected the image of the country and the number of tourist arrivals.