GuySuCo rolls out 2nd Sugar tour
─ aimed to get feedback from tour operator and media
DPI, Guyana, Sunday, September 1, 2019
Several tour operators and members of the media experienced the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Cultural Heritage (Sugar) Tourism product on Saturday.
The tour of the Albion/Port Mourant Estate in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), is the second such to be held by the organisation. The first was held at Uitvlugt factory on the West Coast Demerara. These trips allow stakeholders to sample the product and give the necessary feedback.
Forming part of GuySuCo’s 2019-2021 strategic plan, the venture aims to create more revenue through the development and delivery of a competitive tourism product that tells the story of sugar in Guyana.
Plans are on stream to utilise the Albion, Uitvlught and Blairmont Estates and the La Bonne Intention (LBI) head office compound as sites to be visited. Some of the attractions will include factory, old mills reduction gears; oxen-drawn punts, old sugar mill and a 1924 Rolls Royce currently housed at the GuySuCo Training Centre’ among others.
Lisa Smith attached to Rainforest Tours said, “I believe that this is an experience everyone will enjoy particularly watching the punts being pulled by the oxen. This is unique because these are the same punts used to transport sugar cane back then and today, we can experience that piece of history.”
Luke Johnson, attached to Eco Travel, said that he enjoyed the entire experience. “This is a good product to share with the world because those who come to Guyana comes for an educational experience more specifically Edu-tainment. It gives persons the opportunity to see how sugar impacts Guyana because you know sugar is the main reason why we are this melting pot of six different races. So being here and being able to walk in the footsteps of those who were here before still makes an impact for those living around here economically and socially; it is really great,”
However, Johnson and Malcolm Rhodes of Evergreen Adventures both agreed that a moment that stood out for them was seeing the 1924 Rolls Royce Goshawk, which is said to be only its kind that is still operational.
The recommendation was made for the establishment of gift stores/booth with tokens for sale at the various sites.