CWC 2007 - First Guyana gift and craft show, rice and sugar factory tours planned
By Neil Marks
Guyana Chronicle
February 5, 2007
THE country’s first gift and craft show is scheduled for the first weekend of Cricket World Cup (CWC) in Guyana and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Mr. Manniram Prashad is predicting bigger crowds than the tens of thousands GUEXPO attracts.
The show, patterned after the Caribbean Gift and Craft Show, is scheduled for March 30-April 1 at the Sophia Exhibition Complex, Georgetown. Minister Prashad said plans are underway to expand the facilities at the complex in anticipation of the huge response.
The quarter finals of CWC begin in Guyana on March 28.
According to Minister Prashad, the first meeting for the show recently attracted some 75 interested persons, indicating a strong exhibitor interest. He said among the items on display will be art and craft, jewellery and furniture.
For every night of the show, an entertainment packed programme will be put on, he said.
“Everything will be Guyanese, nothing from overseas,” the Minister indicated.
Apart from the tens of thousands of Guyana who usually attend the Guyana Trade and Investment Exposition (GUYEPO), the Minister is anticipating that the show will attract the some 30, 000 visitors Guyana expects for CWC.
Minister Prashad said he is particularly looking at the Guyanese diaspora overseas, who are largely unaware of the quality products made in Guyana. He said when there are exhibitions of local products overseas, some Guyanese doubt that the products were made here.
In addition, the show will be a good sales and promotion ground for the local producers.
The show is just one of the activities Prashad’s ministry is organising for visitors who come to Guyana for the cricket tournament.
Apart from Kaieteur Falls and other popular destinations, Prashad plans to escort the overseas media to inland tourist resorts.
In addition, he said tours to rice and sugar factories are also being planned.
“A lot of people have never seen how one of these factories operate,” he said.
Before the actual staging of the cricket tournament here, Prashad said his ministry, in collaboration with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), would be taking part in a number of promotional activities overseas.
One of the key overseas trade shows Guyana would be taking part in is the International Travel Borsce (ITB) in Berlin, Germany, from March 7-11. ITB is touted as the world’s largest travel show and Guyana attends annually.
Guyana tourism advertisements are also being pushed in several key areas in the USA where Guyanese reside. These include New York and Florida.
In addition, promotional activities are on going in Toronto, Canada, and London, England.