More than 1,000 B&B rooms available for CWC- LOC
Guyana Chronicle
December 5, 2006
THE Local Organising Committee (LOC) for Cricket World Cup (CWC) has reported that more than 1,000 rooms have met requirements for the Bed and Breakfast (B&B) programme.
An LOC official also told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that proprietors in Georgetown and its environs have indicated their willingness to demonstrate the traditional Guyanese hospitality towards visitors coming for the next year matches.
The B&B project was launched in January 2006 as part of the hospitality component of the LOC to secure accommodation for thousands expected for the games and, while international hotels such as Buddy’s located, close to the new stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara, are nearing completion, the B&B scheme will allow Guyanese to share some of their culture with visitors.
LOC Project Officer for Visitor Experience, Mr. Nikolaus Oudkerk said many Guyanese, who have registered under the B&B, believed they would have been required to vacate their premises.
Others felt television and air-conditioning were compulsory for their homes to be certified but he explained that there are four categories for hosts wanting to register.
Category A requires houses to be self-contained with air-conditioning and close to the stadium while B, C and D only stipulate that they be self-contained or shared by the visitor and the occupant.
Oudkerk said the LOC has used several avenues to distribute registration forms, including the recent Guyexpo at Sophia Exhibition Complex and there has been a significant increase of registrants.
He said homes near the stadium are in an advantageous position, considering logistics and transportation.
Nevertheless, several on West Bank Demerara and East Coast Demerara are still being considered and the LOC has assigned inspection teams to visit the properties and determine their suitability, Oudkerk said.
He said LOC accommodation officers have reported that many of those registered, so far, have satisfied categories B and C stipulations.
But, to ensure that property owners extend B&B services in a professional manner, the LOC initiated training with the support of Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Institute for Private Enterprise Development (IPED).
Hotels are also meeting the timely requirements for CWC, with Buddy’s International already moving apace with tiling, installation of elevators and identification of personnel, while ‘Sleep In’ guest house recently opened its doors on Brickdam, in the city, as well.