Guyana was today formally presented with the Tourism Circuit Manual of
the Amazon Tourism Trail during a forum at the Guyana International
Conference Centre that was organized by the Ministry of Tourism, the
Guyana Tourism Authority and the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation
(ACTO), after which a workshop to discuss the manual’s uses,
applications and the next steps forward was held.
The formulation of the manual resulted directly from the
involvement of ACTO’s move to develop integrated tourism for the Amazon
region, and focuses on Guyana, Suriname and Brazil.
Minister of Tourism (ag), Irfaan Alli, said the manual
offers the opportunity for Guyana’s tourism sector to proactively and
aggressively enter and expand markets. He explained that while Guyana
is behind in pushing the local tourism package forward, the country is
now strategically positioned as a part of Amazon tourism.
Minister Ali added that it is time for the sector to lobby and move the
integration process forward to link Guyana and the Caribbean with the
Amazon.
Pointing out that the manual comes at a critical time in
the three countries; he said steps already taken by Guyana will speed
up the process of the Amazon link. He referred to the links among
Brazil, Suriname and Guyana which have already begun to open up tourism
opportunities.
The Minister urged that members of the private sector
should invest as they will be motivated into the right direction for
potential profit and benefit, especially if the rest of the Caribbean
agrees to join with the Amazon tourism link.
Minister Ali said that this aspect of world tourism will
include the offering of sustainable products to tourists. He pointed
out also that the manual offers products that go beyond Guyana and
which can compete effectively in international markets.
Director, GTA Indranauth Haralsingh, explained that ACTO is a regional
body created by treaty to promote cooperation among eight member
countries, Guyana, Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, Colombia, Bolivia,
Ecuador, and Peru, to advance sustainable development of the Amazon
region.
Regional integration of tourism circuits is part of the
strategic action and priorities for the tourism agenda for the Amazon
region. This, Haralsingh explained, will help in promoting and boosting
multi and geographic destination travel, to all of which Guyana is
totally committed and
will soon become a part of the |