Dear Editor,
Reference is made to your editorial “Tourism” (June 28). Thank you for this timely editorial explaining the benefits of and how to promote tourism.
Tourism plays a vital role in the economy of almost every country, rich and poor. It generates income, raises GDP, creates employment, develops infrastructure, promotes culture, encourages people-to-people contact and understanding, helps a people to understand visitors and their culture, impacts positively on related industries like shopping, restaurant dining, etc., brings in foreign exchange which has been scarce in Guyana over the last year, among other benefits. Some countries promote and welcome tourists; of late, some countries seek to restrict tourists because after a saturation point, there are negativities. Spain, Italy, Philippines, among others, are seeking to curtail tourists in certain areas (cities) because of damage to the eco system and rising costs of housing for locals.
Every territory in the Caribbean region and Latin and North America welcome tourists because of the enormous benefits accrued from visitors. Tourism can be a significant pillar in our economy. Guyana has the potential to attract non-Guyanese to its shore especially in eco-tourism for the world to enjoy the beauty of our natural geography, visiting monuments including old sugar and other agro estates (as the editorial suggested) which should be transformed into museums and monuments for attraction. Most of the tourist entries into the country are from the Guyanese diaspora (with USA contributing the bulk followed by Canada, and the Caribbean) and they contribute a billion American dollars to the economy raising GDP. They visit to renew ties to the homeland and visit relatives. Non-Guyanese are interested in our ethnic culture as well as our interior in adventure tourism; government should target that area in our economy that has great potential for growth. The diaspora will continue to come home although not pleased with the security situation and corruption. What is needed is the infrastructure to take tourists to the interior and subsequently its promotion in North America and Europe.
The obstacles to attracting non-Guyanese tourists and more diaspora visitors are well known: inadequate infrastructure (hotels, proper roads, flights, aerodromes, etc.) in the interior and the security culture of the country. Mitigating against tourism are: driving in Guyana is extremely dangerous (too many accidents), a corrupt police force and bureaucracy, individuals (panhandlers) hustling visitors for anything, an underdeveloped health sector (not enough medical specialists in hospitals), expensive international and local air travel, ground transport, choke and rob, a compromised police force (though not all police are corrupt), among other negatives.
Government is building roads and trying to improve drainage albeit at high costs. Government is also trying to reform the police force and seeking to clamp down on corrupt practices. A bill was passed in parliament on Jul 12 to address road accidents. Government should consider starting an airline or encourage others to do so (with subsidies) that may lead to lower fares. When fares are lower, more visitors would come and as such airlines won’t necessarily lose revenues. The country benefits from increased visitors as more money would be spent in the country. Government should also provide financial assistance to travel related companies to develop tourism-related infrastructure and facilities.
Tourism will increase revenues and jobs as our country takes off with the investment from oil revenues. Tourism has the potential to reduce poverty especially in the hinterland and rural areas if the overall infrastructure is developed to welcome tourists in those areas.
Yours respectfully,
Vishnu Bisram
