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THAG head urges Govt…Pay more attention to tourism than previous administration
President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) Association Shaun McGrath wants Government to place more focus on the industry than was the case with the previous administration.
He also offered some criticism to the Government over the tourism budget for this year.
Mc Grath expressed these sentiments last Friday when THAG held their President Awards dinner at the Pegasus hotel.
McGrath went on to read excerpts from the coalition’s May 2015 elections manifesto, dealing with their pledges to the tourism industry.
He put those promises side by side with what has already been achieved and expressed the hope that by the time the dinner is held again in 2016, more of those promises would have been fulfilled.
He highlighted the need for the infrastructure to facilitate transportation. These measures, according to McGrath, include fixing interior roads and extending runways.
Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock receiving his award from Minister of Tourism Cathy Hughes
President of THAG, Shaun McGrath
The THAG President also recognized the contributions of private establishments, including Republic Bank to the tourism sector.
Turning his attention to individual entities involved in the tourism industry, McGrath encouraged them to be more sensitive to the needs and pockets of tourists when setting their prices.
He noted that unless prices for tourist services became more customer friendly, more tourists would be turned away.
But Minister of Tourism Cathy Hughes in her address assured the local tourism heavyweights of Government’s support.
The Minister referred to this support as encapsulating a side by side partnership between the private tourism associations and the public sector.
With this partnership in mind, she called on those in the industry to not sit back and wait on the Government to come to their aid.
Officials involved in the aviation and tourism industry, including the new President of the Aircraft Owners Association of Guyana (AOAG) Michael Correia (Jr.), have been pointing out the need for infrastructural upgrades.
In recent times, tenders have been put out and bids received by the National Procurement and Tender Administrative Board (NPTAB), Ministry of Finance for works to be done on roads and airstrips within the hinterland regions.
During the recent commissioning of the Trans Guyana Airways’ (TGA) Raytheon Beechcraft 1900D aircraft, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson had also expressed the need for such development, while stating that the 2016 budget would contain further provisions.
The annual dinner is organized by THAG members, with the presentation of awards to those who have contributed their part to developing the tourism sector. During the event, the new Explore Guyana magazine (official tourist guide of Guyana 2016) was launched.
Meanwhile, Cliff Hamilton, Managing Director of Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure International in his remarks urged the Government to rethink the way it markets the capital city of Georgetown.
Referring to Georgetown as one of the better, physically laid out cities in the Caribbean, he also placed Georgetown side by side with two other Caribbean cities – Kingston, Jamaica and Port of Spain, Trinidad- as a city that has been neglected.
Calling on the Government to use Georgetown as an anchor to drive tourism into the interior, he noted that Georgetown does not have to be created (as it already exists) but is just in need of caring.
The speakers did however acknowledge the Georgetown cleanup campaign launched in the city as something positive for tourism.
Awards
There were several categories of awards given out. The nominees for the Hotel of the Year Award were the Pegasus Hotel, Cara Lodge Hotel and the Herdmanston Lodge. The Herdmanston Lodge won this award.
Among the nominees for the Tourism Supporting Services Award were Advertising and Media Services, General Executive and Managing Services and I-net communications. I-net communications won in this category.
Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock, who was described as the man who instigated community tourism, won the Hall of Fame award.
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