Manniram Prashad, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, said Guyana is open for business with a very attractive investment climate. He was making a presentation on tourism opportunities in Guyana at the Third China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Co-operation Forum, which was held earlier this month at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Port-of-Spain. Prashad said Guyana, the Amazon Adventure and the gateway to the Amazon, has much to offer from its pristine tropical and Amazonian rainforest; amazing wildlife; more than 860 species of birds; nine indigenous tribes with their low carbon lifestyle; a rich and diverse cultural heritage, along with friendly and welcoming people.
He said Guyana has adopted a low carbon development strategy and is therefore committed to sustainable tourism development. Minister Prashad said additionally, Guyana is a safe haven, free from the devastating hurricanes and other natural disasters. Guyana has recently won the Caribbean Sustainable Tourism Award jointly with Harrison's Cave of Barbados and will be hosting the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) 13th Annual Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC-13) next April. Prashad said Guyana is shaping up to become the new "eco-tourism hotspot," and arrivals have been steadily increasing. He said several major infrastructural developments have been completed, laying the foundation for an expansion in tourism.
He noted that Guyana has received the Approved Destination Status (ADS) from China and is working to tap into this huge outbound Chinese market, which is predicted to grow to 100 million by 2015. He said Guyana's diplomatic relations with China, including investment, continues to be strengthened and expanded, pointing to the Skeldon Sugar Factory and the Guyana International Conference Center, which are legacies of Guyana China Development Cooperation and, indeed, a win for all." The Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister said Guyana is open for business and has a dynamic and expanding tourism industry which continues to attract foreign direct investment in the tourism sector.
He said the country which has recorded a 6.9% growth in its economy for the first half of this year, offers attractive tourism development investment opportunities and incentives. And, in an effort to continue growth and investment in the tourism industry, the Government of Guyana through the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest) offers incentives and tax exemptions for tourism investment projects, he further added. He said outlined numerous tourism investment opportunities in Guyana like properties and accommodation; transportation; tour operations; medical tourism; recreational tourism facilities; niche tourism; films/documentaries; culinary tourism; and cruising/boating.
"Guyana is open for business and that we do have a very attractive investment climate," Prashad reiterated. "Guyana can be seen as the strategic and ideal place for investment opportunities . "Take the opportunity and be a part of Guyana's development, advancement and progress by investing in tourism "the industry of the future for Guyana," he said. He said he is confident and optimistic that the China Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum will help to further enhance and boost sustainable economic development; create investment opportunities and joint ventures; strengthen the relationship between China and the Caribbean; and improve the region's competitiveness, productivity and innovativeness.
"I therefore encourage Caribbean countries and the business community to take full advantage of the opportunities that will arise from this historic forum," Prashad said. Giving the keynote address at the seminar was Shao Qiwei, chairman of the National Tourism Administration of the People's Republic of China, who noted that with the strong support of the Chinese Government, the tourism industry in China is on a fast track of growth. He said in 2010, China received 55.66 million inbound overnight visitors and recorded 57.39 million outbound visitation, contributing 6.14 per cent to international tourist arrivals of the year (935 million in 2010). The Chinese outbound visitors' expenditure registered at US$54.9 billion accounting for 5.97 per cent of the global visitors spending (US$920 billion in 2010), he said.
Qiwei said China has become the 3th largest inbound tourist destination; the third largest outbound tourism consumer; and the world's largest domestic tourism market is now taking shape in China.
In recent years, he noted, ten Caribbean countries were designated as ADS countries for China and there have been even closer tourism exchanges between China and the region, with rising number of people travelling back and forth. He said tourism cooperation between the two sides holds bright prospects and made several proposals including vigorously carrying out promotional activities towards each other tourism markets; effectively expand cooperation between tourism enterprises; cooperate with important transportation hubs like the United States and Canada to forge travel routes of multiple destinations catering to the needs of Chinese tourists; and improve visa policies.