Dear Editor,
I read with sadness in my heart the article published in the Stabroek News on December 2: ‘Tourism Association disgusted over spoof video.’ The newspaper reported that the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) is “totally disgusted” by the “spoof” video that was recreated by Real Guyana and shared on its Facebook page.
I have seen both videos and The THAG statement is disingenuous. Is the Tourism Association denying the reality of the garbage strewn in our city and across the country? Does the Tourism Association have concerns about the quality of the homecoming video produced in comparison with other countries, especially those countries whose tourism product may be even more attractive? Is the Tourism Association disgusted at the appalling living conditions of many of the people who live in the city and throughout Guyana?
On Tuesday midday while standing at the corner of Avenue of the Republic and Croal Street, an evidently homeless man was washing his bare buttocks in the canal in full view of passers-by. What if I were a tourist? I remembered the article and I was overcome with feelings of shame and embarrassment.
The Real Guyana video gave us a social commentary on the reality of what tourists will see when they enter and visit Guyana. Just recently a travel review about Guyana was posted on Yahoo! Travel describing Guyana as one of the worst places to visit. The reviewer posted this about Guyana: “Guyana is that small little country next to Venezuela, where the capital of Georgetown is small, dangerous, and not nice at all. I was told not to walk around at night — not that I would have wanted to anyway, as there’s not much to see or do.” That, below a picture of a donkey in the city with overgrown bush. That review is still online for the world to see. Are we more willing to accept criticism from those abroad than those of us who call Guyana home?
Just last Sunday Dave Martins in his feature column in Sunday Stabroek was expressing concern about the state of our city and the country. He asked, how did we get it so wrong?
I can’t keep my silence any longer. I am concerned that that there may be two Guyanas. There is one where life is only beautiful and serene and thousands of tourists will come. Then in a fit of cognitive dissonance they will ignore the garbage and the living conditions of the people. Then there is the other Guyana where we struggle each day to come to grips with the reality, that while Guyana is still a beautiful country, in many ways we have got it badly wrong.
This video and its “spoof” is another opportunity for dialogue, not just on tourism but Guyana. The homecoming video is premised on the tag line ‘Guyana, South America Undiscovered.’ The sad reality also is that for many Guyanese, Guyana will indeed remain undiscovered to them because of a lack of money resources to visit and travel through Guyana. I have lived and travelled abroad; it is the truth that to many people Guyana will remain undiscovered. They just don’t know who or where we are. But ask them about Jamaica and Bob Marley. How about we market Guyana and Eddy Grant?
I would love to see the Tourism Association consider using the videos as an opportunity to engage the public in a national dialogue about the vision for marketing Guyana as a tourist destination, to those at home and abroad.
I saw the newspaper report yesterday of the tourism awards ceremony, the winners of the Tourism Awards and Tourism Ambassadors. I congratulate them! I would love to see a nationwide tour of the Tourism Ambassadors throughout Guyana, as part of a dialogue with the people of Guyana. What are their views on how we get tourism right for Guyana? What opportunities can we create for the winners of the Tourism Awards to share their strategies of success with aspiring tourism entrepreneurs?
How can we become one of the best places in the world to visit? How about a visual dialogue engaging younger Guyanese especially to share their photos and video of what makes Guyana beautiful in their eyes?
What if we started a conversation about tourism and life in Guyana and asked: What will it take for us to get it so right?
I write because I am for Guyana getting it right!
Yours faithfully,
Ayana McCalman
