Region 10 experienced tourism boom despite pandemic

-Tourism month activities aimed to further boost the region’s tourism sector

The Region 10 Tourism Committee, has launched its calendar of activities to be held in November, in observance of the Guyana Tourism Authority’s Tourism Awareness Month. In an effort to follow COVID-19 Guidelines, most of the events will be held taking into account limited capacity in-person, virtual and hybrid protocols. The calendar features events ranging from adventure to business and aims to further promote Region 10, as a destination region to the rest of Guyana and the world.

 In a recent press briefing, Chairman of the Committee, Devin Sears, revealed that travel to Region 10 during the COVID-19 pandemic, has heightened, by domestic and international tourists. “With the travel restrictions, we have seen a boom or an increase in tourism activities within the region. Almost every weekend we have approximately over 300 persons coming to Linden, whether it is to see the blue lake or they were passing through and decided to stop. So, we know that we have a solid tourism product…Region 10, Upper Demerara Berbice is the best tourism destination in Guyana, because you have a little bit of everything,” Sears said.

The pandemic has even seen the emergence of local tour companies that are exploiting the region’s tourism hotspots, with aqua and eco-tourism activities. The month of activities has included other communities such as Rock Stone and Kwakwani, that are also pregnant with tourism potential and were affected significantly by the recent floods.

Highly anticipated is the Rockstone Fishing Exploration, slated for November 14^th, 2021. “These events will be hosted throughout the region including Rockstone and Kwakwani while playing an important role in our economic recovery from the pandemic and recent floods because they attract visitors which stimulates the local economy and supports local jobs; also provides an opportunity for communities, friends, families and visitors to come together, creating community pride and reconnecting us in a safe manner,” Sears posited in his message for Tourism Month.  Included in the month of activities are a Woman’s Empowerment Conference, LonLam Cycling Classic, Virtual Business Exposition Series, Virtual Region Tours, Virtual Stage Play and a Virtual ‘We are One’ Concert.

The Region 10 Tourism Committee was formed in January 2020 and according to its executive members, the Committee has made tremendous strides to revitalise the region’s tourism industry, more so with the need for economic diversification, with the downscaling of the bauxite industry. For Tourism Month 2020, the Committee was able to host the first ever Linden Music Awards which saw local artiste across all genres, being awarded for their work.  

The Committee takes a multi-stakeholder approach to develop tourism in the region. One stakeholder the Committee collaborates with, is Linden Fund USA. This collaboration will see the emergence of a ‘Visit Region Ten’ website aimed at providing information to local and international visitors about the many attractions in the Region.