“We must work to overhaul standards of tourism industry “– PM Hinds

 

Georgetown : Prime Minister Samuel Hinds in the capacity of acting President, today address the 13th annual Tourism Sustainable Conference and said this forum will bring new insight into evolving special-interest tourism niches, and a focus on agro- and culinary-tourism. 

“You will get the opportunity to experience Guyana’s capability in meeting the food/agricultural needs of the Caribbean tourism sector, through the special agri-exhibition that is a part of this event.  The region’s hospitality industry can reduce its ‘carbon footprint’ by making a conscious choice to purchase substantially more food supplies from Guyana, the potential ‘bread basket’ of the Caribbean.”

He pointed out that Guyana’s tourism vision is to make Guyana a destination of choice, and a global leader in sustainable tourism. 

“We are definitely making strides!  As you know, at the 2011 STC, Surama Eco-Lodge Village in the Rupununi won jointly with Barbados the Excellence in Sustainable Tourism award.  Surama is a model community-based tourism project.  The entire village of the Micushi tribe, in that region, is integrally involved in tourism, directly and indirectly.”

The acting President said Guyana’s international profile as a developing country in the forefront of the fight against climate-change, has been boosted immensely, and this has had significantly positive effects on our tourism development.

“We are working hard to ensure that there is a major overhaul of standards in the tourism industry, and plans are in the pipeline to establish a hospitality institute. As you discuss and debate many of the issues surrounding sustainable tourism development, I urge you to adopt some of the best practices that will emerge at this conference.  In this way, we can ensure that we are keeping the right balance in the industry, while sustaining our considerable tourism resources. “