Tourism business clinic set for January 18

-GTA business support services to be officially launched

Tourism businesses will soon get the opportunity to have the licensing process completed in one day, as a tourism business clinic is set for January 18 at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Kamrul Baksh told DPI that the initiative will bring various agencies under one roof for the day, for easy access by businesses.

“For all businesses that require tourism licenses, we are bringing together, under one singular roof, all the licensing agencies. So, from the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Maritime Administration (MARAD), the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), The Guyana Lands and Survey, The Fire Service, the Guyana Office for Investment, as well as the Guyana Tourism Authority, we all will be under one roof,” Baksh said.

The objective of the clinic is to expedite the processing of documentation and make payments on location.

Persons can also work out favourable payment plans with the agencies.

“We are hoping that right there we can basically sign off on all licenses once the businesses bring in all the required documentation. So again, we will issue a reminder to all businesses of what the requirements are and the businesses and individuals will walk with those,” he noted.

This is just one of several such clinics planned by the GTA.

“Tourism business, all accommodation properties, all the hotels out on the coast, all the interior lodges and resorts that may be able to come out or send a representative, all tour operators, all guides, come here,” Baksh encouraged.

In addition, businesses and tour operators can update their information on the online platform.

“We are really trying to reduce the administrative burdens or perceived burdens that there is because it could take some time to go to each agency because they are all not in one location, so we thought it best to bring everybody in one location and make it easy,” Baksh said.

The GTA business support services will also be officially launched.