Several international, regional and local media operatives were given a tour of the mighty Essequibo River on Sunday, compliments of BK International. This was the first event to usher in the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s 13th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC-13) that was held in Guyana from April 15 to 18.
The journalists said they were amazed by the exotic nature and historic sites located in that part of the country.
The one-day tour commenced at the Princess International Hotel and the media team were taken along the East Bank and West Coast of Demerara.
The CTO media team during a tour at BK Quarry on Sunday
A tour operator accompanying the journalists gave a brief history of villages and sites visited during the tour.
As they approached the stelling on the Essequibo River to begin the tour, the group was given the chance to see the busy commercial centre of the Parika Market.
Loaded in two speedboats, everyone was excited to journey along the mighty river to see what they could experience, as most of them were first-time visitors to Guyana.
The team included journalists from the United Kingdom, Canada, Venezuela, the United States, and several Caribbean territories. The media team were given the opportunity to see Fort Island, Fort Zeelandia and the mining town of Bartica. The speedboats even stopped to allow the journalists an opportunity to view the Mazaruni Prison.
Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) Director Rosemary Alleyne said she is not a first-time visitor to Guyana, but she is always amazed by its natural beauty. The Barbadian-based journalist said that Guyana has a unique opportunity to develop its tourism product, especially in eco-tourism.
Alleyne said she is always blown away by the scenery of the thick vegetation of the country and the many rivers, which she believes are major attractions for tourists.
A freelance journalist from Canada said Guyana is richly blessed as the vast majority of the country is covered in thick vegetation. He believes that Guyana has much to gain from eco-tourism and would need to market the sector more. A first-timer in the country, the Canadian journalist said he is booked to leave the country on Friday, but he hopes to return before the year ends to explore the country. He plans to use that opportunity to write about Guyana’s beauty.
Regional journalists were also mesmerised by Guyana’s beauty and plan to write about their experiences in Guyana when they return home. The team were also taken to the BK International Quarry, where they had the opportunity to witness first-hand the blasting of stones. They also learned about the operations of the company, and receive a hearty Guyanese meal as part of their memorable trip.
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