Dear Editor,
It‘s been quite a while since I penned any letters to your publication on a subject matter I continue to remain steadfast about – Guyana‘s tourism potential. There will be numerous tour operators and travel writers converging on our soil next week for the Caribbean Tourism
Organization‘s Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development. (STC). This conference comes to Guyana at a time when we need every ounce of support and awareness to boost this unique brand of tourism that is slowly making inroads on the world tourism stage. I say this quite easily since I‘ve been attending these conferences for more than a decade, and continue to follow up the results of any research or surveys done to showcase the eco/naturalistic tourism environment as the industry grows and develops.
I am also extremely happy, since at last I will get my fellow counterparts off my back by having my country host a major tourism conference after a long absence. Since I‘ve been attending these conferences, every other travel writer has been asking, when are we going to Guyana?
Well Guyana, this is your opportunity to showcase our potential and show the image of a unique people and a product that is second to none. As a member of that illustrious group called journalists, I wish to advise all of our industry partners to be aware of the presence of so many travel writers from around the world who will be here to cover the conference, and write about the host country.
Journalists do not wear uniforms. They dress in the most unassuming gear so as to not create attention. They will simply visit your facilities, meaning restaurants, craft markets and hotels, and will ride in taxis to observe the standards and quality of our hospitality and customer service behaviour. I can attest to this because I‘ve been involved in this aspect of the business for many years. Once they find anything overly negative about a hotel, restaurant or the general hospitality of our people, they‘ll go back and write about it. Many times over they‘ll simply sit at the bar or sit in corner and observe. The thirty-plus travel writers can make or break the image of this great destination called Guyana. Please let me pause to express thanks and kudos to Mr Brian Tiwarie for readily accepting my suggestion to accept the sponsorship of a tour for writers of the Essequibo River and islands, so as to acquaint them with our vast rivers, eco potential and natural habitat. I am also looking forward to the enthusiasm shown by the government with an increased allocation in the national budget for the continued development of Guyana‘s tourism product. Hopefully I may be here to show off my great country to my fellow compatriots in the journalism world, so they can take back both memories and great stories to write about Guyana.
On a second note, editor, I feel compelled to ask our government to take a serious look at some of our holidays and harness the opportunity to create a niche that will add additional attention to Guyana. Most Caribbean countries can identify with some festival or event as their major marketing and tourism-active niche. Trinidad has its Carnival, Barbados has Crop-over, St Lucia its Jazz Festival, Jamaica the Reggae Sun-Splash and the list goes on. How about making Easter our premiere and significant tourism event? I say this because we can now easily recognize that Easter has become the most visited time of the year by both friends and relatives and many citizens from the rest of the Caribbean.
Most Guyanese now seem to prefer to come for Easter, rather than the traditional Christmas or August holidays. There are many factors which allow for this but the most significant is that many North American residents use their annual tax returns (which is received between January and April) to pay for vacations and trips. Since Easter in many instances happens to fall in that period, we should look at harnessing the period and develop our own (Guyana-style) activity to create increased tourist arrivals.
We may want to look at using the entire week to establish some village tourism events. Fish Fries, Crab Festivals, Cook-up, Cook down, Curry- Cabana and so on. Each event can be hosted by a particular village with revenues going to the villagers themselves, and also giving our visitors an opportunity to experience other aspects of our lifestyle and cuisine.
Again it will not hurt to take a look at other Caribbean destinations and see how much they‘ve developed this type of village tourism. Go to Oistings in Barbados any Friday night and see how much activity takes place there. Do the same in the village of Gros Islet in St Lucia and see how the villagers showcase their local food, while the local musicians and entertainers display their talent.
I happen to be visiting home and was taken aback with the activity on an almost everyday basis, particularly during the Easter season, when I strolled down the block on Orange Walk between Regent Street and South Road. Look at the revenues that are invested daily on this stretch alone.
With so many visitors at home and so much foreign currency changing hands, we should look at ways of really streamlining that area. Traffic flow is out of control with patrons parking right in front of shops. The stench of urination is very much evident and disturbing, since quite a large amount of food is also cooked and consumed there.
Why not have the vendors collectively contribute to the building and maintenance of modern washroom facilities? If not, have the City Council provide them and have the vendors pay a maintenance fee. My experience has taught me that many tourists seek places like this to really experience the lifestyles of the locals. They come to mix, meddle and eat food and sample local drinks as part of their experience of a destination.
Finally, towards the end of the month of April, the Archbishop of the West Indies will be leading a team of bishops and priests from throughout the province (the Caribbean) to Guyana for a series of activities. Again this will be another opportunity to showcase our beautiful country (even though this happens many times throughout the year) to a number of visitors. Let’s remember the first impression is always the lasting one, so please let us give our usual best. Watch out for those travel writers and journalists who will be secretly observing and writing. They may also indulge in some interviewing and gaff on our country and its tourism product. If you‘re unsure, please refer them to the experts. We have many here.
In the end though, just show them all a good time.
Yours faithfully,
Bobby Vieira
