With Guyana’s long sought-after positive international exposure having been provided with an unprecedented shot in the arm on account of the country’s ‘world class’ oil find, attention has, in recent years, been focused on ‘piggy-backing on the oil and gas industry to draw attention to some of the country’s other worthwhile resources. Contextually, government now appears to be seeking to press the country’s high global profile into service to help focus visitor attention on a potentially lucrative but long – debilitated tourism industry, the value of which had been compromised by external criticisms of the country, as a whole, that had kept potential visitors away.
So enhanced has Guyana’s rating now become as a favoured visitor destination that the various long-existing local organizations designed to promote the country’s tourism agenda, including the Ministry of Tourism and the Guyana Tourism Authority, (GTA) now find themselves with real work to do. Earlier this week the Guyana Tourism Authority issued a media release boasting “a productive April” during which, the release said, Tourism Minister Oneige Walrond headed a delegation that undertook a “fact-finding visit” to Costa Rica, long regarded as one of the favoured visitor destinations in the hemisphere. The purpose of the visit, the release said, was to engage in “collaboration with the Costa Rican Government and private sector to support Guyana’s tourism industry.”
Costa Rica, the Tourism Ministry says, has a similar eco-tourism product to Guyana and is keen on sharing their years of experience with Guyana’s growing tourism industry. The visit to Costa Rica by the delegation headed by the Tourism Minister was facilitated by an organization titled the Guyana Development Initiative (GDI), according to the Ministry. The choice of Costa Rica as the destination for the Minister’s visit would appear to be underpinned by the present administration’s desire to send more robust signals than its predecessors had done that Guyana is finally ready to embrace serious investment in a viable tourism industry. Here it enjoys the credential of the country’s oil and gas sector which none of its predecessors enjoyed.
The official release on the Costa Rica visit says that the decisions arriving therefrom “will support Guyana’s goals to improve (tourism) product development, amplify marketing and investment promotional efforts, advance standards and certification and support regional cooperation in conservation and protected areas.” That said, it should be noted that no less robust statements from previous political administrations on Guyana’s intention to set up a viable tourism sector have fell flat on their faces.
Observers of this latest tilt at establishing a bona fide tourism industry in Guyana will probably be encouraged by indications that Guyana appears to be looking to Costa Rica to support the initiative. Whatever we might learn from the Central American country ranked as one of the most visited international destinations in the world, Guyana will be challenged to create its own convivial environment to accommodate a market that is often excessively demanding. Costa Rica’s attraction as a regional tourism haven was significantly boosted in 2018 with the opening of the country’s National Congress and Convention Center (CNCC), a facility which has the capacity to accommodate 4,600 persons to tourism-related conferences and conventions.
Back in October, sections of the state media drew pointed attention to a story published by National Geographic asserting that Guyana was set to be among top tourist destinations for 2023 and beyond, a citation which the state media said was “Indicative of the country’s advancement in the global scheme.” If, however, the advent of oil and gas is likely to significantly increase visitor arrivals, going forward, Guyana will still face the challenge of creating a convivial local environment including significantly improving essential infrastructure, providing safe and appealing spaces and creating and transforming what remains a decidedly run-down capital.
