With more than 2,000 persons trained under the Guyana Tourism Authority’s aggressive training programme this year, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Oneidge Walrond is confident Guyana’s goal of becoming a premier tourist destination is attainable.
Minister Walrond told a gathering at the Walter Roth Museum on Wednesday that the robust efforts of the GTA have allowed for the introduction of interested persons to key areas of tourism development.
“The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has ramped up the Community Tourism Entrepreneurship programme, soliciting interest from people inclined to become tour operators.
“So aggressive has our training been for tour guides that for 2023 to date we have trained more than 230 individuals in this field,” the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce said.
The GTA has exercises spanning a number of areas related to tourism and hospitality practices locally and includes First Aid and CPR, mixology, delivering quality service as well as health, safety, security and environment (HSSE).
Persons from the Paruima Village, Region Seven; Essequibo areas, Region Two; Linden, Region Ten and parts of Region Six have benefitted from these sessions.
Through the programme, persons are being taught practical and theoretical methods to sufficiently handle emergency situations whenever they arise and they undergo highest quality training in customer service as well as proper etiquette and hospitality techniques, to ensure that all guests receive service consistent with both local and international standards.
“The Guyana tourism authority continues to roll out training initiatives aimed at elevating the service standards within the nation’s tourism sector.
“These comprehensive training sessions encompass an array of vital faucets of tourism and hospitality spanning from the art of mixologist, first aid and CPR proficiency and delivery of exceptional customer service, for 2023 alone almost 2,000 persons have benefited,” Minister Walrond said.
Critical areas of mixology including the different types of bartending, selecting ingredients, garnishing drinks, measuring and pouring techniques as well as how to properly present a drink, are being taught as part of fine-tuning the skills.
There is massive focus placed on the tourism and hospitality sector because of the steep increase in passenger arrivals recorded at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) each year. With new initiatives that pique the interest of tourists such as the Cricket Carnival events, persons in the field must be equipped to provide necessary services.
