A group of eight guides from international tour operators and a travel and wildlife journalist have ended a familiarization tour of Guyana impressed by its immense potential to be a world-renowned ecotourism destination.
According to a press release, the group visited a number of wildlife locations and was treated to an array of wildlife viewing, including giant anteater sightings and giant river otters, among others.
Visits to Amerindian villages were also a part of the experience under the Guyana Sustainable Tourism Initia-tive (GSTI).
Mike Russell, a guide for UK’s Wildlife Travel, said, “Guyana has the potential to become one of the great ecotourism destinations of the world.”
He said Guyana’s wealth of wildlife combined with its rich landscapes and natural resources showcased by its people can lead to conserving a “precious heritage.”
Another tour operator Peter Cosgrove of Heatherlea in Scotland exclaimed that Guyana is an unspoilt part of the Amazon with “highly desirable rare animals and birds, great Amerindian culture.” He said that this makes the country “a dream eco-tourism destination.”
Familiarization tours will be held as part of a programme to move away from birding to other sustainable forms of tourism, the release said.
The GSTI, formerly called the Guyana Birding Tourism Programme receives support from the Guyana Tourism Authority-USAID Guyana Trade and Invest-ment Support (GTIS).
