Georgetown: As the Government pushes tourism to aid in the overall development of Guyana, bird watching is becoming an increasingly popular activity, and one that is recognised internationally.
Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Indranauth Haralsingh, while reporting on the 2014 International British Bird Watching Fair, which was held in Rutland England last month, said, “I must tell you, seven years ago, we did not have any birding international tour operators selling destination Guyana, today we have over 35 international bird watching companies selling Guyana. At bird fair 2014, there were 20 international birding companies selling destination Guyana that is the largest number that has been selling Guyana at the fair. Last year, there were 16 companies selling Guyana”.
He added that the bird watching fair is one of the most effective promotional and marketing activities for Guyana’s tourism industry.
“The kind of feedback we have received from the bird fair is very positive. A lot of satisfied visitors and bird watchers; the report and the indication from the trade are that Guyana is a good selling destination. Many other companies now also want to sell destination Guyana,” Haralsingh said.
He listed tourism companies such as Explore, Travel Design from Germany, Encounter the Wild, Nuevo Mundo from Ireland and Natural World Safari as potential companies that are very interested in selling destination Guyana.
These are in addition to the 35 companies that are already selling destination Guyana, including; Birding Eco-tours, Green Tours, Manu expeditions, Nature Trek, New Tropical Birding, Rock Jumpa holidays, Sunbird, Sunrise Birding, Travelling Naturalist, Trinidad and Tobago, Wild Life Travel, Wild Wings and Zoo Terror.
“… we also did two presentations at the fair, it is the first time that Guyana has done two presentations- one on tropical coastal birding and it’s a new itinerary and a new area in Guyana in which we are promoting bird watching. Most of the Rupununi and the interior are famous and popular for bird watching, but for the first time we have gone to the bird fair to launch coastal birding, this covers from Shell Beach to Abary, and includes the seawall, Botanical Gardens, Abary and there are quite a number, over 400 species of birds can be seen on the coast and birding here is very accessible compared to the interior,” Haralsingh said.
He added that the interest in coastal bird watching has been very high, and that a brochure on coastal bird watching was produced and launched at the bird fair.
Wilderness Explorers, a wildlife biologist from Guyana, a representative from Wilderness explorers based in the UK, and Mr. Carl Brown from Guyana’s High Commission based in the UK, participated at the bird fair on Guyana’s behalf.
The GTA Director explained that “the momentum is being built for bird watching in Guyana… a lot of persons and enquiries on butterfly watching and in January we will be bringing an expert from UK to help pave the way on the development of butterfly watching. A lot of people are also interested in orchids, insects and lots of other tours besides birding, wild life watching as well.”
It was further stated that usually at the bird fair, Guyana hosts an event in London, targeted at the high-end bird market – birding specialists, media, and conservation organisations as well.
The Guyana Summer event is held sometimes prior to the bird fair, but on this occasion, it was held after at the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago. “Out of this collaboration has come a multi-destination package for bird watching, encouraging bird watchers and visitors to go to Trinidad and Tobago and then come to Guyana as well.”
He added that the bird fair is a continued success for Guyana and said that next year the Tourism Ministry hopes to have more Guyanese tour operators and companies attend.
The GTA, in collaboration with the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) paid for the booth space at the bird fair. The Government provided the materials and paid for a specialist birding guide in addition to managing the booth and other events at the bird fair.
Haralsingh said, “This is a good example of private public partnership for one of Guyana’s most important niche markets.”
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