Over the years, Visit Guyana has solidified itself as an integral part of Guyana’s burgeoning tourism industry. Loop Caribbean recently caught up with the mind behind the travel blog, Stacey Rahaman to delve into its genesis and successes.
What first inspired your entry into the tourism industry?
It’s a funny story. I actually studied computer science at University and when I applied to further my studies in the area, they told me that the IT program was full. I didn’t want to stay home for a year so I asked them to recommend an available program. They recommended Tourism Studies, which was very new at the time. I ended up doing the one-year certificate program before starting my computer science degree the following year. At the time I had no idea what tourism was, so it was an eye-opener. After completing my degree in IT I was looking for a job and there was a vacancy at the Guyana Tourism Authority for an IT admin. It was as if God was always sending me in the direction of tourism.
I worked there for three years in the IT Field, but while managing their website, I gained a deep love and appreciation for the beauty of Guyana and what made it a special place. I also saw the potential for the tourism industry to grow using IT and digital solutions. After leaving the GTA I left Guyana. My coworkers knew nothing about Guyana and would often use google to find out more information which painted Guyana as a horrible place.
Their impression was that Guyana was a wilderness of bush and bandits. I came home packed with a suitcase full of traditional clothes from each of our ethnic groups and ingredients for a number of dishes and when I returned I held my own Guyana day for my coworkers. I made pepperpot and curry and created a FB page for them called “Visit Guyana” to show and educate them about Guyana, our festivals, music, rainforest and places and things they could enjoy and experience in my home country. They were amazed. They asked me, “How do we visit these places? Is there a website? Is there a social media page we can follow?” Frustrated that I had no place to send them, I kept complaining to my husband that the country was missing out on the opportunity to use Digital Marketing to not only promote Guyana but to dispel misinformation about the destination. Eventually, he said, look, stop complaining and do it yourself nah. So I made the page I’d created public, bought a point-and-shoot camera for USD$100 and started saving up to go on our first official trip. The rest is history. We promoted all tourism businesses at our expense for nine years.
We have since continued to work tirelessly to promote Guyana through our lens so we could in our small way change the narrative while educating and encouraging people to visit. Over the last two years, we are grateful to have supportive private sector sponsors who love what we do and without whom we could not sustain our work.
Stacey Rahaman from the travel blog Visit Guyana
What do you believe others in the industry need to be aware of when first starting?
Don’t go into it for likes or followers, go into it with a purpose and understand that content creation is not just taking a photo. It takes hours of shooting photos and videos, editing, being creative, coming up with captions, posting, and responding to messages. You have to truly love what you do because when challenges come, and they will, you won’t be fazed. You will continue to focus on providing value because it comes from the heart.
Did you foresee the longevity and impact of your career in the field, and is there anything you would have done differently?
Honestly, I did not, because this was never an actual career pursuit. It started as a passion project, just two people who chose to showcase our country through our travels. It is just one part of what we do in addition to our actual career in IT and Marketing. The one thing I would have probably done differently is to share our impact, to show the number of persons who visit the country or places we showcase because of our work. This would have probably influenced people sooner to have a greater understanding of the value of social media. It would have influenced people earlier to follow in our footsteps and showcase their experiences around our beautiful country.
What do you believe have been some of the main barriers in your career?
Some of the main barriers, I would say, was getting people to understand the value of digital marketing and how it can benefit and transform their business. At the time we started, many did not have websites or an understanding of social media and the linkage between what we were doing and what they needed to be doing. If we posted their business and people wanted to book or learn more, where did we send them? Fortunately many have since stepped up their game.
Visit Guyana through the content we post helps the industry to sustain and grow because our stories send customers to hotels, tour companies, restaurants and more, but our posts are also geared at changing mindsets and educating our own Guyanese about our country. We want them to understand their role as tourism ambassadors of Guyana, which has been a barrier in the past, as people don’t know what their own country has to offer. We have seen a shift however and the younger generation is venturing out and exploring Guyana more, posting their photos and videos. This has a ripple effect as the more positive content is shared, the more positive content a potential visitor will find and the more confident they will be about visiting.
What do you consider to be your main accomplishments?
The opportunity to showcase to the world, the beauty, cultural diversity and all that’s special about my country. The feedback we get from people daily thanking us for inspiring them to visit, for helping them stay connected to home, for educating them and for allowing them to see places and experiences they would have never known existed in Guyana.
Stacey Rahaman out and about on a food tour in Guyana.
How has your work shaped your perception of Guyana?
When we started, there was so much we didn’t know. Our travels opened our own eyes and we were able to see Guyana the way first-time visitors describe it. Its raw stunning beauty, majestic mountains, sprawling Savannahs, amazing birds, wildlife, food, colourful festivals, and man our people, we have met so many storytellers, artists, poets, writers, creatives, farmers, small and big business owners, Indigenous men and women whose kindness, knowledge of Guyana and whose handicraft is unmatched. People who have become like family. It is these people and experiences and memories we’ve made through the work that makes us treasure our country and continue to do what we do. We also saw the potential of tourism and the impact it can have on our economy. We have continued to see an increase in visitor arrivals.
While you have many supporters, you also have had some negativity thrown your way, how do you navigate this?
As with anyone who is in the public eye, you will get compliments and you will get criticism. I prefer to use my time to focus on my family, and friends, learning, bettering my craft and finding new and innovative ways to showcase my beautiful country. Behind the scenes, we are always on the go, our time is occupied with a lot of travel, consultancy, and community development work.
What’s next for Visit Guyana?
This is a great question because this is our main focus right now. What’s next? Unfortunately, while I’m excited to tell you, it is under wraps at the moment, but you can expect a few product launches this year.
Is there anything I didn’t ask that you would like to highlight?
I wish to thank God for putting me on this path. My family and friends for their unwavering support. I would also like to extend a big thank you to our fans and the visitors who have graced our shores because of our work. Also, big up to all the tourism stakeholders who continue to work hard to raise the profile of destination Guyana. And if you are reading this and haven’t before, we invite you to come Visit Guyana.
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