Director General optimistic of exceptional growth in tourism sector in 2017

GINA, GUYANA, Friday, October 2016

The tourism department plans to target high spenders and track the economic impact of tourism next year.

Director General of Tourism, Donald Sinclair, in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), said that Guyana’s tourism sector is expected to have exceptional growth in 2017 given that thus far in 2016, the sector has performed exceedingly well.

Sinclair said that the tourism sector in Guyana continues to see continuous growth in every month as compared to corresponding months of 2015.

He said he is optimistic that in 2017,Guyana will be experiencing growth in specific markets in addition to bird watching which is developing tremendously.

According to Sinclair, the growth is subject to the collaboration between Guyana and Suriname. He noted that the two countries have drafted an accord to boost tourism in the Guianas. Even though the accord is not yet official, Sinclair said that the partnership is already bearing fruit.

“Persons from Suriname are coming here for business and while they are here, they are paying visits to places of tourism interest. For example, we had the recently concluded  Inter-Guiana Games and about 240 participants from Suriname came over for that,” Sinclair explained.

Additionally, it was pointed out that in 2017, the tourism department will be focusing on targeting high spending tourists by strengthening its tourism satellite account. The satellite account will be able to track the economic impact of tourism on the economy.

The satellite account will also be used as an influence to acquire the monies necessary to boost the tourism sector. “If we are, for example, to make the case to the Ministry of Finance that look, tourism is making this contribution to the economy, therefore the allocations for tourism needs to be increased,” the Director explained.

Sinclair noted that in 2017, focus will also be placed on developing cross border tourism between Guyana and Brazil. While it is not seeded, Sinclair is hopeful that in the coming years, Guyana will be able to tap into the Brazilian market.

 

By: Isaiah Braithwaite