Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues on Friday joined the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS) in recognising 19 tourism professionals who have strengthened their skills through specialised bird guide training.
A release from the ministry said that twelve guides completed the first phase of the Coastal Bird Guide Certification, while seven Rupununi-based guides completed the Bird Guide Accreditation Programme and received their local bird guide accreditation.
Rodrigues said the programme represents an important step in strengthening the people who bring Guyana’s natural attractions to life.
“When you take a visitor into our wetlands, forests, savannahs or coastal environments, you are doing more than pointing out a species. You’re helping someone understand your country, showing them why a habitat matters and helping them appreciate the richness of our natural heritage.”
Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority, Kamrul Baksh said that the accreditation programme was developed to build on the Authority’s existing tour guide licensing framework and recognise guides with specialised expertise in birding.
“We quickly recognised that while you can become licensed, we must be able to distinguish guides that are not only licensed, but those that have a specialisation. And given the importance of birding as a niche in Guyana, we conceptualised that we should have a specific accreditation programme for bird guides”, he stated.
Guyana is home to more than 800 identified bird species, creating significant potential for birding to grow as a specialised tourism experience, the release added.
The programme was developed through collaboration between the Guyana Tourism Authority and South Rupununi Conservation Society.
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