[www.inewsguyana.com] – Minister of Tourism Catherine Hughes said that the government is pursuing advertising Guyana in cruise line magazines. She said this is one way of showing this South American nation as a viable tourism destination.
She told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that direct communication with several cruise lines is being made which is intended to secure a spot on their itinerary. Promotion of Guyanese working alongside cruise lines will be done through social media, Minister Hughes noted.
The minister told GINA of this development prior to boarding the cruise ship Minerva of the cruise line ‘Swan Hellenic’ which docked at the Guyana National Shipping Corporation’s Wharf, Georgetown on December 18.
Once the 2016 Budget allocation for the tourism sector is finalised, funding will be streamed into an international marketing programme. Here, deliverables will be specifically packaged for the target market.
In order to promote more tourism, packaging of Guyana will have to be done to cater for all the needs of potential visitors. This includes materialising a plan whereby animals can be shown, traditional foods tasted, and cultures exchanged.
The vessel Minerva is 135 meters long and weighs about 13,000 tonnes. It brought 181 passengers. The ship’s Captain Neil Broomhall indicated that while this part of the world is not always on the map, returning to Guyana as a tourist destination will definitely occur.
The last visit of Minerva in Guyana was in March, 2014 for three days.
Another progressive idea from the tourism sector. Rather than more Marriotts why not develop our local brands?
OHHHH YEAAA MAN , I WORKED MY HARD MONEY AND YOU WANNN ME TO TOURE AND RELAX IN OME OF THE MOST FILTY , NASTY NO SANITATION DIRTY CITY IN THE WORLD , I GOT TO BE MADDDDDD
What i have observed THE CITIZENS cant go out for an hour of outing and return safely,SO HOW CAN TJE GOVT WANT TO BOOST TOURISM WHEN KILLINGS,SHOOTING,JUST CRIME IS REALLY UP,AND UP BADLY,FOCUS ON THE COUNTRY AND CLEAN IT UP FIRST AND LEARN TO GET ALONG AND TREAT ALL THE SAME FIRST,THEN PPL WILL CONSIDER TOURING!
@Kathy Hughes!!
Ma’am is BEAUTIFUL GIYANA AND YOU WILL ADVERTISE GUYANA INTO CRUISE MAGAZINE, MADAM YOU AND OTHERS FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THAT UNTIL you CLEAN UP your CRIME AND MURDER rates in GUYANA ppl DONT AND WILL NOT TOUR GUYANA,your CRIME N MURDER RATE HAS JUMPED THIS YEAR AND I DONT SEE THE GOVT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT!
There should be many more hotels like The Marriott if Guyana is to benefit more from tourism.Many times some Cruise passengers don.t even disembark on shore.So no money would be spent by those passengers in Guyana.
However, when tourist stays at hotel you gain more :food/drinks at restaurant/bar, taxi,airport tax,hotel fees etc. So it will be good if The Minister advocate for more *****hotels in Guyana.Don,t feel proud about a ship with 180+ passengers docking at the GNSC wharf which is a travesty. Guyana don,t have a pier for Cruise Ships.
Better job if the Minister focuses on more good hotel guests.It would benefit the country more.
Great news but first things must be put in place. They would need a modern cruise ship terminal with duty free shops and all amenities in place. There would be need also for G rated family entertainment at the berth to welcome the visitors and increased police presence in the city as the tourists shop and go sightseeing. This is done in all caribbean islands. The current wharf is too deplorable and unsightly to welcome cruise ships.
This is a great initiative being undertaken now that the city is clean. It can realize much needed revenue for the country. However, the Hon. Minister of Tourism should work closely with the Minister responsible for Aviation Transportation and the Bureau of Standards to ensure proper maintenance and operation of Domestic Flights especially for stay over cruise passengers since tourists may want to visit some of our show pieces e.g. Kaieteur falls, Damon Monument in Anna Regina among others. The Bureau of Standards, because tourists may shop and we need to raise the bar for if we falter in the mentioned areas, it could be doom before we start…..Great Job and the way to go to real development of an undeveloped nation