Toka Village, an indigenous community in Guyana, received valuable data. help and support Provided by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA). The training, which was a significant investment in the people of Toka, took place in late 2024. It consisted of tour guiding, hospitality and management courses.
The goal of the partnership between Toka Village and the GTA is to enable the village to reach its full potential. It will also form the basis of sustainable guidelines for other developing countries seeking to utilize their natural resources.
The community is located in the North Rupununi wetlands of Region 9, close to the Pakaraima Mountains. To reach the village, visitors must travel along Georgetown to the Lethem Trail.
Toka Village Toshao (village leader) Micah Davis was pleased with the training and the benefits it brought to the community. He spoke of the GTA’s support and how it has left an indelible mark on the town’s tourism sector. He also said that the training will significantly enhance the country’s ability to develop sustainable tourism strategies.
There are approximately 372 indigenous people living in Toka. The village thrives on its simple lifestyle, but is looking for new projects to improve the village. residents’ lives. Farming, fishing and hunting are traditional sources of income, but there are also opportunities to link them with sustainable tourism.
Training with the GTA also included classes on how villagers can create their own official tourism products. A session on building and maintaining sustainable eco-lodges was also held. There was also a week-long Ecolodge development workshop led by Professor Hitesh Mehta, a world-renowned ecotourism expert.
Toshao Davis said the training was impactful and deepened her understanding of ecotourism and its benefits. He said ecotourism is “living in nature and showing tourists or outsiders what we have. To achieve this, they can look after and use natural resources in a sustainable way.”
source: Toka Village takes off in the tourism sector (Guyana Ministry of Public Information)
video: Guyana Ministry of Public Information
