Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) Director Indranauth Haralsingh has said visitor arrivals to Guyana continue to increase in 2011, noting that in November, arrivals increased to 2.4 per cent compared to the corresponding period in 2010.
He added that to date, arrivals have increased by one per cent over 2010, which was a record year for arrivals in Guyana. Some 152,000 persons visited these shores last year. Haralsingh said the GTA is very optimistic that arrivals for December 2011 will surpass the number registered the previous year.
GTA Director Indranauth Haralsingh
Arrivals are distinguished in three broad categories: Visiting Family and Relatives (VFR), which accounts for about 80 per cent of arrivals; Business which accounts for 10 per cent and Leisure which also accounts for 10 per cent. He noted that 51 per cent of the arrivals come from the United States; 21 per cent from the Caribbean; 18 per cent from Canada and seven per cent from Europe.
According to the director, 2011 has seen significant investments being made in the tourism sector, especially in events and hotel construction.
He noted if a cost had to be placed on the investments made, it would be millions of U. S. dollars. He said too that the GTA will continue its market-led familiarisation trips.
“This is where we bring the best in the market place to the pro tourism product, in that way, we can improve our sales distribution network and the network of tour operators, who are selling us internationally. When we conduct a familiarisation trip, we bring these decision makers to Guyana, we take them around the country to our key destinations; and then they come to us with a feedback and they make the decision that they believe customers are looking for,” Haralsingh stated.
He said the GTA will continue to expand and grow Guyana’s market in the diaspora and for businesses and leisure tourists as well.
“We need to engage the diaspora so that tourists can come back to Guyana on vacation or leisure or for investments and retirement. The government of Guyana has already invested in house lots to allow and facilitate this remigration. When this happens and when we engage the diaspora in a more critical and aggressive manner, we can get the transfer of skills, knowledge, technology…” the GTA director contended.
Haralsingh stated in 2013, the GTA is planning a “Visit Guyana Year”. This event is set to have a number of activities organised, and is expected to see as much as a 20 per cent increase in arrivals than the number recorded in 2011. He said that activities such as sporting and culinary events and pageants will be organised throughout 2013 to get members in the diaspora to visit Guyana.
Haralsingh said that it is critical that the GTA works closely with the private sector as that body has the owners and investors of key tourist properties.
“Once this partnership grows stronger, we can see better results as well. We also need to focus on information sharing so that we can make better decisions. We will also be conducting exit surveys at the airport to calculate visitor expenditure. This is important so that we can know and capture tourist flows within the country,” Haralsingh said.
The director noted too that the GTA will continue to invite travel writers, major magazines and television stations to Guyana to promote the local tourism sector on the international arena.
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