-increased air connectivity, luxury tourism development, workforce training among targets

THE tourism sectors of countries around the world are making a come-back and Guyana is no different. With Guyana recoding its highest ever influx of tourists in 2024, the government has allocated $1.5 billion towards the further development of the sector.

In his budget presentation on Friday, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh shed light on the impressive strides Guyana has made in its tourism sector following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He outlined the government’s efforts to revive the industry, which had been severely impacted by the global health crisis. “COVID-19 inflicted a severe blow on the global tourism industry, and Guyana was no exception. Domestically, it exacerbated five years of policy neglect, and plunged the sector into unprecedented hardship,” Dr. Singh remarked.

He further detailed how, by April 2020, visitor arrivals had plummeted, revenues declined by 46 per cent and a staggering 30 per cent of the tourism workforce faced joblessness, with another 36 per cent suspended or placed on unpaid leave. On assuming office, the government wasted no time in revitalising the sector.

One of the key focuses was on expanding hotel room capacity. Dr. Singh noted, “First, we focused on expanding hotel room capacity inviting proposals for private developers to build new hotels. To date, over 560 rooms were added to the stock.” He further highlighted that 420 world-class rooms, many bearing globally renowned brands, have been introduced in 2024 alone.

Additionally, the government anticipates a surge in high-quality accommodation options in 2025, with over 1,500 new rooms from hotels in advanced stages of construction.

The emergence of alternative accommodations has also contributed to the sector’s growth. “Since August 2020, we have seen the emergence of over 125 Bed & Breakfast ‘Airbnb’ establishments with 641 rooms,” he said. These additional options not only provide alternatives for visitors but also creates income-earning opportunities for Guyanese property owners.

Another crucial area of focus has been the expansion of airlift to enhance connectivity. The senior finance minister noted that in 2024, new routes and expanded services by United Airlines, American Airlines, Sky High, LIAT20, and Avianca have significantly improved travel options to Guyana. “These have resulted in a substantial rise in available seats, which now exceed 30,000 per week,” he stated before noting expectations for continued growth in 2025, including new services by KLM, Inter-Caribbean Airways, and long-haul charter operators.

Moreover, he also recognised the potential of luxury tourism, revealing that the government is in discussions with a prestigious luxury travel company to explore investment opportunities in early 2025. “We are already in discussions with a prestigious luxury travel company exploring investment opportunities in early 2025, whose potential entry would catapult the Guyanese tourism product to the highest tier of the global market for premium eco-tourism experiences,” he added.

In 2024, the government also invested in enhancing the skills of those in the hospitality sector, training over 8,000 individuals to improve service quality.