MINISTER with the portfolio, Mr. Manzoor Nadir has said the 2007 Cricket World Cup matches to be played in Guyana could be a “watershed” for local tourism.
In an interview with the Chronicle on Wednesday, he added that the games would present a unique opportunity through which the industry could make significant strides.
Nadir, who was at Kaietuer National Park where Germany-based Marco Polo film company is making a movie to expose more native potential, said Guyanese should seize every chance to market tourism.
He said the Caribbean being chosen as the venue for Cricket World Cup 2007 is a big issue.
“All that we are doing now will create a climate for maximum exposure in 2007... if we can’t build our tourism industry and make it marketable at the time when the World Cup cricket is here, something is wrong, because this is a unique opportunity,” he maintained.
Nadir said, at this time, everything for Guyana is now being focused on 2007 World Cup cricket and already there are indications that many overseas-based Guyanese, who did not plan to revisit their homeland in the near future, are thinking about a trip before and during the international event.
He said, for those people who have negative perceptions about Guyana, World Cup Cricket is now putting all the Caribbean countries in the same league.
According to him, people who knew nothing about Guyana before would be offered a first hand look at what is happening here, during that 2007 tournament, too.
Nadir said his colleague Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Ms. Gail Teixeira should be commended for executing her mandate exceedingly well and delivering on the quest for Guyana to host quarter-final matches.
He announced that the sporting rivalry is coming to this country when the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and related agencies are taking several initiatives to make it conducive for increasing the number of foreign visitors.
He said there is a strategic plan and the four-lane highway along East Bank Demerara is one of the projects included.
Nadir declared that “these things are not happening incidentally” and many multi-discipline and multi-sector sub-committees have been at work since Guyana put in a bid for some of the cricket matches.
He said the groups comprise a wide cross-section of people and many ordinary Guyanese would benefit, as well.
Nadir said the Tourist Board has been allocated $31M for marketing but a proposal, for consideration next Monday, is being drafted to double that sum.
He explained that the initial amount would be used to address short term tourism plans for a lot of activities leading up to the hosting of the World Cup games.
But, in addition, there is a five-year scheme to be developed for tourism that could possibly see the industry getting a significant financial boost.
Eventually, he hopes to see between US$1.5M and $2M being made available for that purpose, Nadir said. (JAIME HALL)