The 2025 vision of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) is for Guyana to be recognized locally and internationally, as a premier destination for protecting its natural and cultural heritage, providing authentic experiences, and maximizing local economic benefits.
Moreover, between September 25 and 28, 2018, the GTA took an important step towards realizing its vision by participating in two prominent international events for tourism destinations that are working towards becoming global leaders in sustainable destination management.
The inaugural meeting of the Global Leaders Network on September 25 and 26, last, brought together destination and business leaders from Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America who are committed to being at the forefront of innovation in developing sustainable tourism, while advancing the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.
Mr. Brian T. Mullis, Director of the GTA; Albert Salman, CEO of Green Destinations; and Costas Christ, an awarding-winning editor and columnist for National Geographic Traveller; co-founded the Global Leaders Network to connect leading destination management organizations and businesses to improve the quality and sustainability of their tourism offerings, share good practices and experiences, and monitor their progress.
“Through our involvement in the Global Leaders Network, the GTA is exchanging knowledge and know-how in sustainable destination marketing and management best practice with other national and regional tourism boards,” explained Mullis.
“We are also benchmarking our current practices and the work we are initiating against the Green Destinations Standard so we can identify and address areas for improvement.”
The Green Destinations Standard is a Global Sustainable Tourism [GSTC]-recognised set of criteria to measure, monitor and improve the sustainability policy and management of destinations and regions. It makes sustainable development concrete, objective and demonstrable. It covers the following themes: Destination Management, Nature and Scenery, Environment and Climate, Culture and Tradition, Social Well-Being, and Business and Hospitality.
Mr. Mullis was also a keynote speaker at the Global Green Destinations Day that took place on September 27 in the city of Nijmegen, which was elected as the European Green Capital 2018. His keynote address highlighted Destination Guyana’s world-class natural and cultural heritage assets and the organizational strategy the GTA is implementing to align its efforts with the impending Green State Development Strategy.
The Global Green Destination Day conference, held on World Tourism Day, is an interactive forum representing the largest gathering of sustainable destination leaders. The conference attracted over 250 participants from more than 20 countries including destination representatives from countries participating in the Sustainable Destinations Top 100.
To top off the GTA’s activities in the Netherlands, the Authority partnered with the Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (ANVR) to host a dinner for tour operators from the association who expressed an interest in offering tours to Guyana. A total of eight tour operators attended, all of whom requested additional information about the potential to partner with the GTA to offer Destination Guyana.
