CRICKET Carnival in Guyana has been a magnet for travellers, and this is evidenced by the highest number of arrivals to the country ever recorded in the month of September.
According to a release from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the airport experienced an increase of 90 per cent in arrivals for September 2022, when compared to September 2021.

“During the month, the airport processed 31,050 international passengers. This notable increase in passenger arrivals is evident in the influx of visitors for the Cricket Carnival activities,” the press release stated.
President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, in an interview posted on the News Room’s Facebook page, said that a new product is being developed for Guyana where businesses, bars, restaurants, and more are benefitting tremendously.

“We are hosting it (Cricket Carnival) for three years. We are building a product here for the region to celebrate… there is nothing in sports entertainment that can beat Cricket Carnival and we have to build it, we have to nurture it and we have to support it,” the Head of State said.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CJIA, Ramesh Ghir, said: “I believe the enthusiasm behind the cricket carnival activities is responsible for the number of arrivals we are seeing.”
He added: “During this period, our overall objective was to ensure an efficient, hassle-free arrival process. We worked with our stakeholders to put systems in place to avoid any delays.”

Ghir said that the airport is pleased to support President Ali’s vision to celebrate, promote and market Guyana’s rich vibrant culture, especially during the Cricket Carnival period.
The CEO said: “Our airport is one of the first points of entry into Guyana and therefore, we have an important role to play in creating a lasting first-impression for our visitors.”

As expected by the CJIA, the traffic increased in September due to Guyana hosting its inaugural Cricket Carnival, where they had already put measures in place to handle the increased traffic.
For the first half of 2022, a total of 145,654 passengers were seen entering the country through CJIA. Those numbers were predicted to increase in the second half of the year.