The Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) and the Barbados Coalition of Services Industries (BCSI) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to help boost the tourism sector in Guyana.
Executive Director of the BCSI, Michelle Smith-Mayers explained that Barbados will be conducting a needs analysis in Guyana to see where they can provide assistance.
“We are happy to be able to assist THAG wherever we can. We are trying to do an analysis of what the needs are, we know a lot of those…are going to be behavioral change,” Smith-Mayers shared during a simple signing ceremony.
Specifically, the MoU will facilitate the opportunity to engage the services of Ms. Smith-Mayers and her wealth of knowledge in the structure and management of national tourism and hospitality association management, to advise and assist THAG in order to achieve its strategic objectives.
These include maintaining and expanding THAG’s role as the collective voice and advocate for the policies, regulations and other supports needed for the growth of the tourism and hospitality industry as well as strengthening and expanding THAG’s role in providing and facilitating training and skills development opportunities tailored to the needs of the tourism and hospitality sector.
These services, which will be free of cost, will allow for THAG to be better positioned to contribute meaningfully within the industry to fulfil the training and marketing mandates within the St. Barnabas Accord.
On July 5, 2022, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Motley and the President of Guyana, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali signed the St. Barnabas Accord in Paramaribo, Suriname.
Point three of the accord covers Tourism and International Transport.
THAG is a not-for-profit association which serves and represents Guyana’s tourism and hospitality sector. Our members include accommodation providers, restaurants and bars, tour operators, destination management companies, domestic and international air service providers, activities and attractions, publishers, jewellers, insurance agencies, commercial banks, tour guides, suppliers of goods and services, and tourism students. THAG’s mandate is to promote sustainable tourism development, by fostering professionalism throughout the industry, ensuring quality service for its clients, and providing benefits to its members; while collaborating with relevant government institutions and networking with other related local, regional and international agencies, utilising available resources.
Formed in 2002 as part of a Caricom initiative, the BCSI is a national umbrella business support organisation (BSO) that brings together businesses in the services sector, focusing solely on the development of associations and businesses in the services sector. The BCSI has a wealth of experience in association structuring, development, management and capacity building.
