Keep The Rupununi Wild
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The Region Chairman, Bryan Allicock invited the visiting delegation of the American Embassy to attend the 2021 Launch. The head of delegation Mr. Mark W Cullinane, Deputy Chief of Mission indicated that this mission was exploratory in nature and would love to hear from participants some challenges with respect to tourism that the US embassy could take into consideration. There were three expressions of interest [1] The road from Lethem to Linden, [2] Funding support for the vast opportunities to really make more prominent the ‘rupununi brand’ as a tourism product and [3] VR’s interest to engage AMCHAM into a partnership that is mutually beneficial.
At the national level VR partners with the DOT, GTA, THAG and various Ministries. This networking led to an invitation by the Ministry of Tourism, Trade, Industry and Commerce hosting with VR a stakeholder meeting on 25th July 2021, Among other issues discussed the meeting focused on:
- Immigration for visitors and licencing of vehicles from Brazil which would allow travelers entering Guyana from Brazil to stay for longer periods in the Rupununi to explore the tourism opportunities with private vehicles.
- Tourism opportunities for the south rupununi is actively being pursued, at the government level through a collaboration between GTA and VR who will benefit from a 18 month project to be funded by Compete Caribbean focused on south rupununi but with a regional benefit.
- The possibility for a subvention to support the work of Visit Rupununi for CORE funding.
- VR and craft producers being allocated space in the new airport at Timehri.
- The streamlining of various registration and licensing processes
During the Minister’s engagement with tourist stakeholders, she was apprised of the KEEP the RUPUNUNI WILD campaign, was shown the signage and how they will be installed.
The Visit Rupununi vision is one of a high quality, diverse tourism product that spans the length and breadth of the region; of an industry that directly benefits community livelihoods & socio-economic development within the Rupununi while actively contributing to the conservation and protection of the Rupununi ‘s unique ecosystems, wildlife and culture.
The realisation of this vision is therefore dependent on the success of efforts to actively contribute to the conservation of wildlife and the preservation of the health and wellbeing of the Rupununi landscape and its people. As a groundbreaking organisation Visit Rupununi’s membership represents the multitude of opportunities which exist within the tourism’s value chain and it has been our ambition to develop a Charter by which Rupununi Tourism’s development can be guided now and in the future.
Wildlife is at the heart of who we are in the Rupununi: It is important that tourism operations are aware of the potentially harmful impacts of tourism on the environment and wildlife and that our plans and actions as part of the eco-tourism family should work to mitigate these impacts. But in order to demonstrate respect for our wildlife, we need to first acknowledge and respect the people, customs and traditions of the communities in which wildlife are found and be aware of the national framework and laws that apply to wildlife in Guyana. We must also educate ourselves, staff and guests about the practices that support wildlife and put systems in place to ensure that they are followed in our tourism operations. This first version of the Visit Rupununi —Wildlife Friendly Tourism Manual is an attempt through the words and experiences of our members to care for wildlife and where they live and to institutionalising these values and continue to do our part of Keep the Rupunui Wild.
