THE face of Guyana is undergoing significant changes. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that we are beginning to see the broad contours of a new Guyana, one based on modernity and change.

Any impartial observer visiting Guyana for the first time after being away for the past five years or so can attest to this transformation. There is for example the new and modern Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) which is now comparable to any in the Caribbean in terms of passenger comfort and convenience.

The roads leading to and from the airport have all been upgraded and well lit. And even though we still have some catching up to do in terms of metropolitan standards, there can be no doubt that the country has become a much better attraction for tourists and visitors.

Guyana in fact recorded its highest tourist arrivals last year which, according to Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, is testimony to the growth of the tourism and hospitality sector.

This, as the minister pointed out, is buoyed by the strong policies by the government and other stakeholders which have contributed to the sterling economic growth the country is currently experiencing in all sectors of the economy.

According to Minister Walrond, the year 2023 saw the highest number of arrivals in Guyana ever, a 273% increase over the 2020 period. The same is also true of airlift capacity which tripled from 2021 to 2023, reaching 1.2 million seats. This is indeed a remarkable improvement, especially when seen against the relatively small population of less than one million people.

One contributory factor to this development has been the introduction of new airlines such as British Airways, American Airlines, as well as increased frequencies from existing airlines.

The prospects for tourism in Guyana look good. American Airlines will add another daily flight on the Georgetown-Miami route while this year, United Airlines will be introducing a Georgetown-Houston link with four flights weekly. Additionally, Suriname Airways has added a service link in Georgetown to Bridgetown, Barbados and Paramaribo. Inter-Caribbean has indicated a willingness for possible expansion of its operations into Ogle.

These are all part of a new dialectic in the modernization, which will see the country connected with the wider international community. Guyana already has one-stop connections to over 250 destinations worldwide, which is likely to expand further as the modernisation process picks up momentum.

With the plethora of natural attributes, Guyana is now laying the tourism infrastructure to tap into the global tourism market. According to President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, tourism is going to be one of the main components of the structure of the economy, now and in the future. A new model of tourism based on our unique natural and physical attributes is in the making, which will catapult Guyana as a preferred destination. The trend so far has been positive and encouraging as recent tourist arrivals have demonstrated.