Nadir upbeat about tourism prospects
Arrivals up in 2001 but down in last quarter
James says tourism authority needs around $85M
By Miranda La Rose
Stabroek News
January 17, 2003
Despite the crime situation, hopes are high for the tourism sector's prospects in 2003 with the key participants - the government, the Tourism Authority and the private sector - working together, says Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manzoor Nadir.
According to figures provided by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, the number of tourist arrivals for last year was five per cent better than 2001. However the figure was down 12% during the last quarter.
Nadir met yesterday with the directors of the newly created Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG). He said the start of this year promises to be better for visitor arrivals with Mashramani activities next month, to be followed by international cricket, the Hindu festival of Phagwah and Easter with the Rupununi rodeo and Bartica regatta.
The issue of safety and security for visitors and Guyanese in general, he said was a priority for government and a huge slice of this year's budget will be dedicated to this end.
The total number of visitors for last year was 104,341 with the numbers peaking in July - 13,912; August 12,714; March 12,042; and the smallest number arriving in October - 5,446 and November - 5,388.
Nadir said the appointment of the GTA board has added a new dimension to the sharing of roles and responsibilities within the tourism sector.
Noting that the authority was still in the early stages of development, some of its responsibilities will be shared in the interim by the ministry. At the institutional level, the ministry will retain a Division of Tourism along with the core staff.
He said the ministry would also work with the GTA board in helping it to focus the authority on developing and implementing a marketing programme for the country which targets niche markets such as the Guyanese diaspora.
The authority's responsibilities include marketing, awareness, education, product planning and development, training, standards development and regulation, information management and tourism research.
Nadir in his presentation of the ministry's work plan for the year said that the ministry would be involved in policy and planning; product development of particular sites; training in collaboration with the GTA and THAG; project facilitation; institutional coordination and awareness, such as tourism awareness month and other activities.
In a telephone interview, the GTA Chairman, Brian James told Stabroek News that to set up offices, employ staff and kick-start the operations of the authority, some $85 million would be required. The authority has been given quarters in the Sophia Exhibition Complex Secretariat, which James feels should be a temporary location until a better and more centrally located building could be found.
The ministry plans to develop government's tourism policies and strategies for the period 2003 to 2006, and 2007 to 2010; and to develop closer linkages with overseas embassies and missions in a bid to disseminate and access information.
The ministry, Nadir said, would work directly with Regional Development Councils (RDCs) to facilitate the development of an inventory of tourism attractions and sites and the preparation of regional tourism planning frameworks in collaboration with the GTA, THAG, the University of Guyana and regional chambers of commerce.
One of the aims of the planning framework is to identify tourism zones and to develop management plans for areas in the Essequibo River, Demerara River, Main Street area and the Georgetown Seawall, Soesdyke/Linden, North Rupununi including Karanambu, Parika to Bartica, Timehri to Santa/Aratak, the North West District and Shell Beach and the Essequibo Coast.
Product development will be done in collaboration with the National Trust, the RDCs and chambers of commerce. Among areas identified for site infrastructure and development are facilities at Fort Island and Kyk-Over-Al, Aurora Chimney on the Essequibo Coast, Dutch graves along the Essequibo Coast Public Road, the Number 63 Beach and Kaieteur and Orinduik Falls.
Through THAG, Nadir said that tour packages would be developed and marketed in collaboration with tour operators.
Training will continue as identified under the Caribbean Project for Economic Competitiveness (CPEC) and will include tour guides for operators and selected communities; and for frontline officers of the customs and immigration at various ports of entry including Lethem, East Berbice/Corentyne and Pomeroon/Supenaam among other places.
Guidelines to local and international investors for the purpose of tourism development will be crafted jointly with the Guyana Office for Investment.
Awareness programmes will include a quarterly newsletter in collaboration with the Ecovision group; a monthly television programme; a monthly newspaper advertisement on developments within the tourism industry; the development of a comprehensive web-page on the work of the ministry and developments within the sector; and Tourism Awareness month as a collaborative effort with stakeholders.
