AS Guyana continues to be marketed as a premier travel destination, President, Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that the government is focusing on training almost 10,000 locals in the tourism sector.
Over the past four years, the Ali-led administration has stepped up its efforts to transform the tourism sector through the launching of comprehensive initiatives aimed at attracting visitors and empowering locals.

The President during the flag-raising ceremony for Guyana’s 55th Republic Anniversary at the Public Buildings, on Brickdam, said: “The government is also focused on training almost 10,000 individuals in key areas like tour guides, wilderness and nature-based tourism and training as first responders, thereby improving the quality of tourism services.”

Already, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has been able to train over 2,000 persons in 2024. In the meantime, the government is collaborating with several local and regional partners to ensure that the sector meets its human resources needs.
In 2023, more than 2,000 persons were trained under the GTA’s aggressive training programme.

He then said: “These strategic investments, along with others in the pipeline, such as the tourism and hospitality institute, have collectively strengthened Guyana’s tourism industry.”
Guyana’s first ever world-class Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute (HTTI) at Port Mourant, in Region Six,  is on track to be completed by January 2026.
The government’s efforts to bolster the tourism sector are bearing fruit as from January to October 2024, visitor arrivals grew by 15 per cent compared to the same period in 2023, with nearly 300,000 visitors recorded. October alone saw a 22.5 per cent increase in arrivals.

He stated: “The tourism sector in Guyana has experienced significant progress over the past four years, the construction and completion of eight hotels have expanded accommodation options, the introduction of eight new airlines has enhanced connectivity and accessibility.”
While describing the transformation of Guyana’s tourism sector as a “tremendous success story,” Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, had previously reflected on how the government elevated this sector, in spite of challenges.
Even after the COVID-19 pandemic caused shock waves to tourism sectors, the government crafted a bold plan to market the nation’s tourism product, she explained.

Fast forward to 2024, and the minister proudly reported that visitor arrivals have not only broken records each year since 2020 but have also surpassed pre-pandemic levels. “We have rebounded tremendously with the aim of continuing in that upward trajectory,” she emphasised, crediting this success to a clear and strategic vision for the tourism sector. Immediately upon taking office, President, Dr Irfaan Ali called for an increase in internationally branded accommodations in Guyana, a vision that faced heavy criticism yet persisted through adversity.
“We forged ahead and we have gotten, as you will know and the nation has seen, the beautiful buildings, the hotels,” she said.

Explaining how the development of the tourism sector is directly resulting in economic development and job creation, she said: “The monies spent by visitors will be put into the country’s growing economy.” Moreover, Minister Walrond emphasised that the benefits of tourism extend beyond the capital, Georgetown, and the coastal regions, reaching hinterland communities and other areas where community tourism is gaining momentum.
“Guyanese are seeing a government that is deliberate about making sure that they benefit from the expansion of our economy.

The government’s strategic initiatives continues to target the nation, not only attracting more visitors, but also producing a thriving economy that uplifts all its citizens.
Guyana’s tourism sector is painting a bright future for Guyana, which stands poised to further solidify its place on the global stage.