Guyana and Argentina on Friday announced a tourism training and management of protected areas exchange programme between the two South American countries.

“All these initiatives follow into the broad goal of increasing the depth and scope of the technical cooperation between Guyana and Argentina, in this particular case in tourism and environmental protection and natural resources, and we are hoping that this represent the kick-off of a very fruitful and sustained cooperation relations,” said Argentine Ambassador to Guyana, Luis Martino.

To be financed by the Argentine Fund of Horizontal Cooperation, the tourism project would include one-week exchange visits by the Guyana Tourism Authority and Argentina’s Ministry of Tourism. The participants will focus on the methodology for crafting a strategic tourism plan as well as product development, statistics and marketing.

The Argentine envoy said the tourism development project would also see his country providing an intensive Spanish language course for representatives of the Guyana Tourism Authority and te translation of material from the public and private sector to facilitate this English-speaking country’s participation in the International Tourism Fair (FIT) in Buenos Aires.

Martino said regarding the Protected Areas Commission said two of its representatives would visit the Argentina National Parks Administration (APN). In turn, two APN officials would visit Guyana to provide technical assistance in the development, planning and management of protected areas within the framework of PAC´s 2012-2015 action plan. APN specialists in touristic management of protected areas are also expected to visit Guyana, he said.

Guyana and Argentina established diplomatic relations in 1972.