Sport tourism 2019-2021 agenda drafted
― representatives from across the country attended the development workshop
― 3-year agenda aimed at boosting sports tourism by hosting more regional and international events
― Guyana to host 2021 CARIFTA Games
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Officials from a large number of Sports Associations across Guyana, Members of the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) and other Sport Representatives from eight (8) of the ten (10) administrative regions of Guyana all gathered at the Guyana Olympic Association in Lilendaal, to work along with key Representatives of the Tourism Sector on the drafting of the Preliminary Sports Tourism Agenda for the three-year period of 2019-2021.
Minster of Business, Haimraj Rajkumar said the government has brought key stakeholders together to maximise the benefits to be reaped from sport tourism. President of the Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Mitra Ramkumar noted that Sport Tourism is the new frontier industry for Guyana and if Guyana were to pattern the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the country could potentially benefit from a massive surge in development, particularly infrastructural development.
During the session, Director-General of the Department of Tourism, Donald Sinclair provided a straightforward interpretation of sport tourism as “travel that is sport related” and “sport that involves travel.” The major components of sport tourism, identified by Sinclair, include the media, security, tours, hosting, planning, marketing, services and sport events, such as congresses, matches and rallies.
Sinclair explained the benefits of sport tourism, noting that it can lead to the alleviation of poverty, infrastructural development, increased visitors and creation of employment opportunities and a new tourism destination. He added that this form of tourism can enhance the portfolio of a country as it has done for Guyana in various sporting fraternities.
Additionally, Sinclair identified the major impact areas that must be considered when developing the preliminary sport tourism agenda. These impact areas include the potential economic benefactors, such as hotels, and restaurants, transportation industry, telecommunications sector, sport facilities, and the sociocultural and leisure hotspots, such as museums and parks.
He said increased sport tourism will have the following impacts on sport itself, higher levels of performance, more international experience and exposure through increased participation in international competitions, a higher profile for the country at sporting events and increased investment in sporting event.
The draft of the three-year plan for sport tourism in Guyana entails a host of sporting events ranging from cricket to lawn tennis and from boxing to rifle shooting. These sporting events are expected to be planned and executed within the three-year time span and among the top ten (10) sport tourism events to be hosted in Guyana is the 2021 CARIFTA Games.
The general actions to be taken to realise the full agenda include, proper planning and coordination of activities, marketing, rehabilitation of certain sporting facilities, seeking sponsors, carrying out fundraising activities, training for athletes and maintaining partnership among various stakeholders.
The Director-General noted that following a Sport Tourism forum last year, the government was able to establish a Sport Tourism Desk at the National Sports Commission (NSC), draft a sport tourism policy and create a new partnership between the sport and tourism entities.
Below is a table of the Sporting Events included in the Preliminary 2019-2021 Sport Tourism Agenda.
PRELIMINARY 2019-2021 SPORT TOURISM AGENDA
Onika Bobb
Images: Karime Peters