Five ecolodges receive Green Destination Certificate

– each ecolodge attained four out of five stars

Guyana has successfully achieved destination level certification, in recognition of its high-quality experiences and tourism products.  

Guyana was ranked again as one of the top 35 travel destinations for 2023 and beyond.

This is the result of efforts by the government to ensure the economy stays diversified and not dependent on its oil wealth.

As government remains committed to the expansion of its tourism products, five ecolodges have been certified with the Good Travel Seal Green Destinations Certificate for sustainable practices. 

These include Atta Rainforest Lodge, Caiman House Ecolodge, Iwokrama River Lodge, Karanambu Ecolodge, and Rewa Eco-Lodge.

The award was presented by Green Certificate, a company in The Netherlands. The certification is recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

The simple ceremony was held at Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown on Tuesday.

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Oneidge Walrond highlighted that government recognises that tourism is one of the pillars of development.

As such, the minister stated that certification is necessary for the country to build and expand and noted that certifying the ecolodges is a great accomplishment for Guyana.

“This is with a view to make sure that our entire destination Guyana, our entire country, our entire tourism product is certified,” she noted.

This is a stepping stone for Guyana to be recognised as a sustainable tourist destination which has the full support of the government.

“So, we need to preserve what we have and it’s not only for us but it’s for generations to come. Government is doing its part in bringing people to the destinations and it’s an excellent opportunity because our products are so beautiful, its ready-made and it’s just for us to jump in, take the risks and the opportunities,” the minister pointed out.

Managing Director of Karanambu Lodge and President of Visit Rupununi, Melanie McTurk expressed, “It’s nice to have that third party validation for the work and commitment that you have been showing not just today or tomorrow, but for the last five years.

“I think that this process is one of those wonderful process that help to give validation to those tremendous efforts.”

Supervisor of Atta Rainforest Lodge, Udel Edwin said, “I want to thank the ministry and GTA for initiating this project and taking the first step to ensuring that ecolodges are certified.”

Extensive audits were conducted to ensure that the lodges are operating in a sustainable manner. Detailed reports include the sales, water conservation, management, wildlife, and customer service for each establishment.

Each ecolodge had to earn over 75 per cent.

GTA’s Director, Kamrul Baksh, staff of GTA, and representatives from the various ecolodges were in attendance.