Guyana looking to develop tourism sector

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Caribbean Tourism Organization Secretary General Hugh Riley is in Guyana this week, looking to assist with some of the country’s aims of developing into a “must-see tourist destination.”

Riley is meeting with Guyana Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes to discuss ways to “advance cooperation and mutual interests,” according to a statement.

Guyana has been in the midst of a major rebranding campaign, dubbing itself “South America Undiscovered.”

“We have come to understand that the Minster has a sharp focus on what Guyana’s tourism development should look like, we need to understand that as the CTO, we feel we have the skills and tools to help to deliver what Guyana’s national tourism priorities are, and ensuring that local communities benefit is a key part of the sustainable aspect of tourism,” Riley said. “We feel that the CTO can assist in helping local communities to understand the value that tourism brings to their lives and in helping all stakeholders involved, to understand how to further develop those communities.”

Riley is being joined by CTO Director of Membership Faye Gill.

“I think that our existing relationship is one we can build on and we can learn from them, they can support us in marketing Guyana,” Hughes said. “Community-based tourism is an area of tourism where we want to build, because we feel strongly that people in the rest of the world are interested in. This is the time where we want to come to and see communities … how they live, what their culture is, so in the whole community-based tourism model, we feel that is one we can duplicate and build on in the regions, and that is key in creating employment within the regions too.”