In a press release, the consulate said that for the second year in a row, it has coordinated the publication of a calendar as part of a major initiative to promote tourism in Guyana.

"The beautiful 36-page 2003 calendar features a stunning eco-tourism resort each month, together with the festivals, holidays and special events scheduled to take place in Guyana throughout the year" it said.

Guyanese living in the diaspora will appreciate the listing of major resorts and Tour Operators in Guyana, as well as the page of website addresses to encourage overseas Guyanese of all ages to research their country and heritage, it added.

According to the consulate, the `Guyanese Proverb of the Month' "again provides a touch of nostalgia and food for thought."

Printing of the 100,000 calendars was mainly sponsored by Guyanese businesses in Toronto and New York, California, Miami, Montreal, Manitoba, Calgary, Edmonton and New York, it said.

The mission reported that additional support was provided by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry & Commerce in Guyana and the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest).

The consulate said that Sheik Hassan Productions, a Guyana-based company, was responsible for the "striking design and layout of the 2003 GUYANA TOURISM CALENDAR."

It explained that the calendar project is but one facet of the Guyana Consulate's promotion programme.

Among others it listed:

* 215,000 poster-sized maps of Guyana were printed in July and distributed across Canada, the United States and London, England

* 40,000 posters, featuring Guyanese scenery and landmarks, were printed for the 2002 Guyana Festival.

* 5,000 Guyana flags were also printed and distributed at the 2002 Guyana Festival.

* 100,000 copies of the tourism magazine, "MY GUYANA ELDORADO", were produced and distributed throughout major cities in Canada and the United States, the United Kingdom, Guyana, and elsewhere. A second and larger edition is under production.

* Following the success of its 2001 Familiarization Tour of Guyana, the Consulate is also in the process of arranging another Tour Operator Familiarisation Tour with BWIA and the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana from November 29 - December 3, 2002.