GUYANA’S premium hotel-room stock will be given a significant boost with the opening of commercial operations by the Five-Star Marriott Hotel in August this year.
But according to Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh during his presentation of the 2014 National Budget in the National Assembly on Monday one other major brand is likely to announce commencement of operations in Guyana soon.
He said: “It is expected that one other major international brand is likely to announce shortly their intention to open operations in Guyana.”
The minister made it clear that such operations will be a major boost to Guyana’s economy.
“This 197-room full service hotel will include an entertainment complex along with conference and banqueting facilities and a promenade,”
“The Marriott is the first major international brand to come to Guyana in over 40 years and in terms of range of hotel products and quality of service the Marriott brand will raise the bar in Guyana and serve as a source of attraction for international travellers.
“It is expected that the facility will create direct employment for over 300 Guyanese and indirect business opportunities for a wide cross section of suppliers of goods and services.”
MARKETING
He added that this year Government will continue to focus on strengthening institutional capacity and marketing, as well as product development.
The minister said, “A number of policies will be developed in an effort to further advance the sector by addressing a number of areas, including cross border travel through multi-destination packaging, group travel and temporary importation of vehicles for recreational purposes such as safaris and the development of event standards.
“Over the years, Guyana has continued to participate at European tradeshows which attract the highest numbers of nature and adventure travellers.”
“In addition to these existing shows, in 2014, Guyana will participate for the first time at trade shows in Latin America.
“…in the area of marketing, government continued to reach out to the international media through familiarisation trips and social media and attracting prominent film and television producers to our shores.
“These methods have proven to be most effective and a number of documentaries were filmed in 2013 to be aired in 2014. Further, in an effort to build capacity, a total of 442 industry personnel were trained in a number of areas including customer service, frontline, housekeeping, kitchen procedures and community based tourism.
Singh stressed that with all these developments on the horizon, the tourism industry is poised to be a major driver of growth and job creation in Guyana looking ahead.
2014 PLANS
In 2014, sums totalling US$90.6M has been allocated for continued implementation of the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) projects previously identified, along with new projects in the priority areas of adaptation, high potential low carbon sectors, hinterland development and low carbon infrastructure. Specific new interventions are expected to include ecotourism development.
Singh said: “Tourism remains one of the sectors in which Guyana has a strong comparative advantage given our vast and diverse endowment of nature, our geographical location, and the advantage of a large diasporic market.”
“With these advantages in mind, Government continues to pursue initiatives to ensure the development of a vibrant and sustainable tourism industry, in collaboration with the private sector.”
This year also, several related developments will see the foundation laid for accelerated growth in the tourism industry.
The Finance Minister contends that as a direct result of Government’s ongoing efforts to increase airlift capacity and expand route options, two new Latin American airlines announced the introduction of flights to Guyana with effect from the current year.
The Venezuelan flag carrier, CONVIASA, commenced flights between Puerto Ordaz and Timehri in January 2014. In addition, the Panamanian flag carrier, COPA, announced the introduction of flights between Panama City and Timehri from July 2014.
Singh said. “These two new services will dramatically improve the ease of travelling between Guyana and Latin America and beyond including, in particular, through connections with destinations such as on the US west coast.
“These developments supplement the introduction, in July 2013, by LIAT of a daily service between Barbados and Ogle, adding to that airport’s growing operations as a regional hub, with other airlines already offering daily services to Suriname and express courier flights to Trinidad.”
in 2013, visitor arrivals totalled 200,122 reflecting a 13.3 per cent increase over 2012, while hotel and hospitality facilities recorded an occupancy rate of approximately 76 per cent, relatively unchanged from 2012.
Also during 2013, work commenced on the development of a Hinterland Tourism Development Plan and focus continued to be placed on community based tourism by rigorously continuing the processes of inspecting and registering interior lodges, resorts, and tour guides.
