‘Explore Guyana’, ‘Eco-vision Newsletter’ and the ‘2003 Guyana Calendar’ were launched in the Ministry’s boardroom to coincide with Tourism Awareness Month.

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manzoor Nadir noted that awareness cannot be built without information.

The 2003 Guyana Calendar was published in Toronto, Canada and the Eco-vision Newsletter was produced specifically for the Tourism Awareness Month of activities.

Complimenting THAG for an excellent publication, Nadir noted that it is totally a private sector initiative with little support from the Government, apart from welcome messages and some advertisements.

Approximately 100,000 calendars were produced by Guyana’s Honorary Consul in Toronto, Canada, Mr. Danny Doobay.
Last year’s publication had a limited circulation of 10,000, but this year, Doobay was able get sponsorship from New York and Toronto as well as the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-INVEST)and the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce.

President of THAG, Ms. Nicole Correia noted that the `Explore Guyana’ publication, now in its third edition, has been well received at the international level.

She explained that at the recently concluded World Travel Market, an international trade fair held November 11-14 in London, the magazines were so well received, that the Guyana booth ran out of supply.

She said the focus is on the consumer and the publication is not meant to make a political statement, but to influence tourists to come to Guyana.

Publisher, Lookesh Singh, Guyana’s Honorary Consul in St. Lucia, has been involved in publishing for some 25 years.

Singh was awarded the contract to publish the magazine based on competitive bidding.

He said it is pleasing as a Guyanese to be able to do such a project, but also challenging, as he had to deliver the magazine within three months to accommodate it being featured at the international trade fair.

Giving an insight into the choice of using pictures of indigenous children on the cover of the magazine, Singh noted that the image chosen is usually the renowned Kaieteur Falls and floral. Putting children on the cover was a break away from the norm and a deliberate attempt to emphasise innocence, wealth and happiness, the hallmarks of the indigenous people of Guyana.

Guyana’s tourism is also based on activities in the interior - their natural homes, he explained.