Dear Editor,
I read in one of the on-line newspapers that President Granger has announced that the Guyana Government will reduce the length of time it takes to get a marriage license in Guyana. This is great news.
I am a Preston Bailey certified wedding destination planner and was part of a trade and investment mission which visited Guyana from the United States this past May. During my visit, which was to explore opportunities for developing Guyana as a wedding and special events destination, I raised the issue of the length of time it takes to get a marriage license with several officials including then Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes, Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan.
I pointed out to these and other officials that Guyana has great potential to become a wedding, honeymoon and special events destination given several of its attributes including its rich and diverse ethnic, religious and cultural mosaic; its exotic flora and fauna; its interesting heritage sites including Kaieteur Falls and St. George’s Cathedral and its overall uniqueness as a country. This aspect of the tourism industry could be a major contributor to the Guyanese economy and to the sustained profitability of several private businesses. It will also assist in sustainable job creation. Wedding and special events destination tourism is a multi-billion-dollar industry. The destination wedding market accounts for $300 Billion annual spending. Worldwide, twenty-four percent of couples will have a combined household income of $120,000 or more and sixteen percent of marriages are destination weddings. Usually, guests visiting for weddings stay an average of four days, and the couple for seven. I have been involved in the industry for over 27 years and look forward to pursuing my plans for making Guyana a first class wedding destination. Thanks to the Government of Guyana for having the foresight to amend the laws to accommodate the development of this aspect of the country’s tourism industry.
Yours faithfully,
Joy Agness
President & CEO Joy Agness Events
