Guyana and Suriname yesterday signed a tourism accord in Paramaribo, according to a statement from the Ministry of Business.
Key among the immediate steps is the establishment of a Guyana-Suriname Tourism Cooperation Council, to be convened within one month of the signing.
The release said that this Council will oversee all actions arising from the Accord, and will comprise three representatives from each country, drawn from both the public and private sectors.
The signing, the release said, came after a two-year gestation period of negotiation, drafting and refining between the Ministry of Business which has responsibility for Tourism here and the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry of Suriname.
Signing on behalf of Guyana was Minister of Business, Haimraj Rajkumar, while Minister of Trade, Tourism and Industry, Stephen Tsang signed on behalf of Suriname. Witnessing the ceremony on the part of Guyana was the Director General of Tourism, Donald Sinclair and the Charge d’Affaires of the Guyana Embassy in Suriname, Malvie Talbot. From Suriname, the release said that the signing was witnessed by Rachel Koningsbloem-Pinas, Permanent Secretary for Tourism and Yvette Rokadji, Permanent Secretary for Trade in the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry of Suriname.
The release said that the Guyana-Suriname Tourism Accord is a framework Cooperation Agreement that will underpin efforts in both countries to increase tourism business between the two territories and enhance the growth of a sustainable tourism product.
The accord comes in the midst of preparations for the February 2020 Tourism Expo of the Guianas which Guyana will be hosting at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
