Close to 2,000 persons benefitted from hospitality training to date

As the government continues to implement innovative and essential mechanisms to boost service delivery in Guyana’s tourism sector, almost 2, 000 persons have benefitted from hospitality training in 2023.

This is according to the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, while addressing the launch of Tourism Awareness Month 2023, at the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology on Wednesday.

The minister drew attention to a series of training initiatives geared at fostering premier service delivery in the sector.

These training initiatives encompass a wide scope of tourism and hospitality elements, which include mixology, first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), tour guiding, and birding, among others.

The training is facilitated by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).

Minister Walrond also pointed to the instrumental role played by the Community Tourism Entrepreneurship programme, as it solicits interest from persons who wish to become tour guides and operators in enhancing tourism capacity.

As the ministry through the GTA ramps up the implementation of this programme, more than 230 persons have been trained in this field to date.  

“A specific focus of this initiative is the underserved areas, such as Region Six,” the minister stated.  

In advancing this intense tourism thrust, the minister reminded that the government is constructing a hospitality institute in Port Mourant, Corentyne to provide high-quality training to meet the demands of the growing sector.

“The Department of Tourism continues to work with regional tourism bodies to develop a more structured and synergised approach to tourism at a regional level, and to boost the respective tourism offerings. As a government, we have already begun to see the fruits of our strategic policy approach and targeted support,” she said.

Additionally, with mega-events being executed nationwide, including the invigorating appeal of Cricket Carnival, visitor arrival is set to surpass pre-pandemic levels, and Minister Walrond said the government anticipates that these numbers will be further exceeded by year-end.   

“All of this is a vivid illustration of how far we have come as a destination with our tourism product and it perfectly sets up the robust sector that we are aiming to achieve. With our current focus, we move forward with greater confidence in the uniqueness and richness of our tourism offerings. If we as a collective can fully embrace this potential, we are all well on our way to establishing ourselves as a world-leading tourism destination,” the minister posited.