GUYANA is strengthening its push towards sustainable tourism certification, with tourism operators and other industry stakeholders being urged to adopt responsible practices as the country prepares to host the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2026.
The issue was highlighted on Tuesday at a World Tourism Day forum focused on certification and responsible travel, hosted by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Good Travel Alliance.
The forum, held under the theme “Guyana’s Journey Towards Sustainable Certification,” examined the country’s progress towards sustainable tourism certification and the role of tourism businesses, communities, visitors and other stakeholders in advancing the process.
A key focus was the participation of 10 Guyanese tourism businesses in the Good Travel Seal certification programme. Five businesses received certification in 2023, while another five were certified in 2025.
Director of the GTA Kamrul Baksh said Guyana’s tourism product, which is largely centred on nature, adventure, culture and ecotourism, makes sustainability an important part of the sector’s development.
“Our tourism product has always been unique,” Baksh said, noting that Guyana’s first hosting of SOTIC would provide an opportunity to showcase the country’s tourism offerings while contributing to regional discussions on the future of the industry.
He said sustainability would be among the issues expected to feature prominently during SOTIC 2026.
Baksh described Guyana’s tourism product as distinct from more conventional forms of tourism, pointing to its emphasis on nature, adventure, culture, sustainability and ecotourism, as well as the growing international discussion around regenerative tourism.
He said the move towards formal sustainability certification was therefore important as Guyana seeks to establish recognised standards for responsible tourism practices.

According to Baksh, the 10 businesses that have already obtained Good Travel Seal certification provide a foundation for broader participation by the tourism industry.
He said the GTA had issued an expression of interest to determine the level of interest among tourism operators in obtaining sustainability credentials.
The response, he said, included interest from businesses, communities and other stakeholders.
“This is coming directly from the private sector, it’s coming directly from the communities and other stakeholders,” Baksh said.
Elisabeth Boon, Business Certification/Assurance Manager at Green Destinations – Good Travel Alliance, said the organisation works with destinations and tourism businesses to improve sustainability practices.
She said Guyana is among the countries in the region that have made significant progress in working towards sustainability certification.
Boon explained that the partnership with Guyana began with a gap analysis and was subsequently followed by a country baseline assessment against criteria used for Green Destinations Sustainability Certification.
She said Guyana currently has a 60 per cent compliance rate with the certification criteria.
Boon stressed, however, that the figure should not be interpreted as meaning Guyana is “60 per cent sustainable”.
Rather, she explained, it indicates the proportion of certification criteria with which the country currently complies and helps identify areas where further improvements are required.
The baseline assessment was used to develop a tourism action plan identifying areas for improvement as Guyana works towards a higher level of compliance.
Boon said members of the Green Destinations team were also visiting tourism businesses that had already achieved certification as part of their work in Guyana ahead of SOTIC.
The visits are intended to provide an opportunity to assess the practices being implemented by certified businesses while engaging other stakeholders involved in the tourism sector.
She said sustainable tourism requires participation beyond government policies, encompassing businesses, communities, visitors and other stakeholders.
A workshop was also planned to examine the visitor experience and ways of attracting travellers who are more conscious of their environmental and social impact on destinations.
Boon said this approach includes connecting visitors with authentic local experiences, communities and locally produced food.
She congratulated the 10 Guyanese businesses that have obtained Good Travel Seal certification and said Green Destinations and the Good Travel Alliance were interested in continuing their partnership with the GTA.
The discussions come as Guyana prepares to host SOTIC 2026 for the first time, providing a regional platform for discussions on tourism development, sustainability, and the future direction of the Caribbean tourism industry.