The website (www.guyana-tourism.com) would be a powerful marketing tool to complement the Authority's current marketing efforts in promoting, branding and creating more awareness of Guyana as a tourism destination.

The site predominantly features the Authority's logo- the Canje Pheasant (the national bird) and information links of getting to Guyana, places to see, places to dine and accommodation listings, location and maps, a calendar of events travel tips and tour service and operation.

It is user-friendly and contains a photo gallery, links to the Tourism & Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) Go Invest GINA, Office of the President, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports and allows for interactivity through the 'contact us feedback/ comments' box.

Minister of Tourism Mr. Manzoor Nadir in his comments at the launching noted that today's travelers require reliable accurate and unbias information before making travel decisions and many people have turned to the internet to get this information.

He said that Consumer Web Watch on May 1, 2003 has reported that, "the growth in tourism travel has been so significant that it has become the largest source of commerce on the internet".

He said the launching of the GTA website puts government once again in the forefront of tourism development. Websites on Guyana's tourism product have existed for many years, but this one is branded the authority for travel in Guyana, he commented.

Nadir said the sites need to be attractive, informative and be able to sell Guyana as a travel destination and added that the tourism industry must utilize online technology to overcome the difficulties caused by though economic conditions.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization one year ago reported that 1/3 of the business that Caribbean tourism gets was generated from the internet and was growing.

Therefore, it is going to be incumbent on the Guyana Tourism Authority to ensure that the site is up to date, has relevant new current information and is well maintained.

The Tourism Minister noted that on many of the websites selling Guyana's tourism products there are deficiencies including the website of the Ministry of Tourism, he admitted.

Some of these websites contain information that is a year or two behind and are poorly maintained.

Chairman of the Guyana Tourism Authority Mr. Brian James said putting the website online was priority for Authority's work programme for this year because it was important for people who want to know more about Guyana to gain access to information through the technology of the electronic age.