The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) will soon move to licensing local tourism businesses, GTA Director, Indranauth Haralsingh has said.
He reported that 88% of the 235 local tourism businesses have registered with the tourism regulatory body. He noted that this registration rate is extremely high and is a very favourable indicator of the tourism stakeholders’ willingness to cooperate and improve their standards and quality of service.
A release from the GTA said that there are four sets of regulations governing accommodation establishments, tour guides, interior lodges and resorts, and tour operators.
Haralsingh stated that the GTA is striving to prepare the local businesses to become more competitive and to ensure that these establishments meet the minimum requirements that are expected by any tourist visiting any one of these facilities. He emphasised, “…Whether the clients are Guyanese or tourists, they all deserve good standards, great service and excellent quality.”
The release said that the GTA Director appealed to the general public to avoid using unregistered tour guides since they will be doing so at their own risk. According to him, the GTA’s Act and regulations require operators to be licensed to operate any one of these businesses. He said that the GTA would not want visitors to have a tourism experience with an unregistered and unlicensed business. Haralsingh queried. “What happens if someone is injured or has food poisoning? Who will then be responsible? I want to forewarn people to make sure that you check on the GTA’s website for a list of registered tour operators.”
The GTA Director further stated that the GTA will be separating these businesses and will provide a list of registered businesses on its website. He said that this will determine who gets support in terms of both local and international exposure.
The GTA’s inspection exercise is ongoing and is being carried out in several phases. They have commenced with the accommodation establishments and to date, 60% of these businesses have been inspected. Next they have been inspecting tour operations; so far 48 % have been checked.
Haralsingh stated, “The inspection process entails us assessing properties for areas of conformity and non conformity with respect of what is required by the law. We are at an early stage of development and we need [to implement] the regulations, we are working to get most of our businesses compliant and to conform. We still have a reasonable amount of nonconformity; we are working with these places, as the law provides that we give additional time for them to put their house in order.”
The release said that the first set of businesses which have registered and inspected by the GTA, and have 100 % conformity will be presented with their certificates of compliance (licence). The GTA will then embark on inspecting interior lodges and resorts in the next phase of ensuring widespread conformity to the standing regulations.
The GTA Director made an appeal to those businesses that have not yet registered to recognise the importance of the exercise and the many benefits of compliance. He urged, “The first step is to be registered. Many have various reasons but no business is too small to be registered especially if people are putting all their faith and trust in you.”
The GTA will continue to monitor and evaluate hospitality establishments across the country in their effort to ensure that the tourism industry in Guyana continues to grow and expand, the release added.
