Guyana to benefit big from CTO conference

– country’s tourism products lauded by visiting experts

As Guyana prepares to host the 13th Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) Sustainable Tourism Development Conference, international tourism experts and specialists have lauded the country’s facilities that will be utilised for the upcoming event.

Minister Irfaan Ali

This appraisal was made after a high-level team from the CTO completed a three day assessment on Wednesday of Guyana’s readiness and preparations to host the April 15-18 Sustainable Tourism Development Conference, which is being held under the theme, “Keeping the right Balance”.
CTO’s Sustainable Tourism Product Specialist, Gail Henry expressed much appreciation towards the government of Guyana for hosting the conference for a second time.
Guyana first hosted the occasion in 2000. Henry noted that the CTO will be working alongside the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Tourism Ministry to ensure that the conference is successful.
“This conference is a premier forum for discussing issues and disseminating information with respect to sustainable tourism related issues. It brings together anyone with an interest in sustainable tourism,” Henry stated.
According to Henry, the conference will bring a number of direct benefits to Guyana, and noted that international media operatives will provide a significant amount of exposure of what Guyana has to offer.
The four day conference will feature several workshops and panel discussions, study tours and a ceremony for the sustainable tourism awards.

A plaque for the 13th CTO Sustainable Tourism Conference

“I think the delegates attending the conference will gain great experience from the event and likewise the delegates from outside of Guyana will learn quite a lot and experience for the first time what Guyana has to offer in terms of its diversity and rich cultures and heritages,” Henry said.Acting Tourism Industry and Commerce Minister, Irfaan Ali said that it is an honour for Guyana to host the prestigious event, and contended that Guyana is a haven when it comes to sustainable tourism and eco-tourism.
“It is very important that the haven of sustainable tourism produces a conference that would reshape the way sustainable tourism is viewed. I will ensure what Guyana has long been advocating, that is, a pooling of the rich diversity of the Caribbean into a common product that can be sustainable and attractive to the varied tourism market that exists. We in Guyana hope to utilise this forum to advance this case, and the potential that lies in Guyana for sustainable tourism,” Minister Ali noted.
He said Guyana is in the forefront of the global struggle to ensure that nature is preserved and that economic development occurs in a sustainable manner. He noted that the developed world speaks about global warming and yet they are the largest culprit when it comes to pollution and emissions.
“In this case, we are speaking about sustainable development and we can be considered one of the leading examples of how we are developing policies and programmes in keeping with what we preach, that is, sustainable development,” the acting tourism minister said.
Minister Ali said that it is a very appropriate time for the event to be held in Guyana, pointing out that efforts are being made to advance the Low Carbon Development Strategy.
“The Surama Eco-Lodge village won the excellence in sustainable tourism award and we are confident that our nomination this year would be successful. We have many resorts and tourist venues that fit the criteria when it comes to nature and eco-tourism, and ensuring that we have the perfect blend with nature and economy to produce a tourism package that is sustainable and vibrant,” Minister Ali stated.
According to Ali, the ministry is hoping that sustainability also speaks about the food market and to sustain local produce in the Caribbean. He said Guyana will be looking to partner with the elite in the tourism sector in the Caribbean, so that there will be a special agro-exhibition geared towards targeting those markets.
“It is very important for us to reach out to new markets to ensure that we can service those markets. We also hope that we can utilise this opportunity to promote this aspect of what nature ensures we can offer to the rest of the Caribbean; that is, sustainable food supply, a very important aspect of the tourism sector and of economic growth,” Minister Ali said.
Ali is confident that the event will attract the most elite groups of investors, tourist operators, tourism practitioners and other influential players in tourism in the Caribbean. He said that it is very important for Guyana to make full use of the opportunity to promote the country, and to ensure that Guyana captures the long held potential of having a good market share when it comes to nature, environmental sustainability and eco-tourism.