GUYANA’S tourism sector continues to transform lives, strengthen culture, and safeguard the environment, according to Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, who underscored the vital role of the industry in shaping the nation’s future.

Speaking on World Tourism Day 2025, observed last Saturday under the theme “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation”, the Minister reflected on how the sector has enhanced Guyana’s story, created economic opportunities, and protected the country’s most valuable assets — its people and environment.

“Tourism creates opportunities across every region,” Minister Rodrigues stated. “It provides work for guides, hospitality staff, and artisans. It sustains farmers, fishers, and transport providers whose services are essential to the industry.”

She explained that the arrival of visitors circulates income through towns and villages, helping families improve their livelihoods while giving communities a chance to invest in their futures. These benefits, she noted, extend beyond individual employment, shaping how Guyanese value their identity and culture.

“When communities share their languages, crafts, food, and traditions with visitors, they preserve and strengthen them. These exchanges give our cultural practices renewed meaning, ensuring that future generations inherit them with pride,” Rodrigues said. She added that sustainable tourism demonstrates that development can strengthen, rather than erode, culture.

The Minister also emphasised the role of the natural environment, describing Guyana’s forests, rivers, and wildlife as central to both identity and tourism. “Tourism links their protection to meaningful benefits for communities. Visitors seek out these landscapes, and, in so doing, contribute to conservation efforts that safeguard them,” she explained.

Importantly, the sector is also creating new pathways for leadership. Young people are finding careers in tour guiding, hospitality, and entrepreneurship, while women are increasingly taking on leadership roles within their communities and the broader industry. Their contributions, Rodrigues said, bring “resilience, creativity, and pride” to Guyana’s development.

Reaffirming her Ministry’s commitment to building a sustainable, inclusive, and transformative tourism sector, Rodrigues pledged: “Together, we will continue to support our people, safeguard our heritage, and protect our environment while sharing with the world the spirit of Guyana. Join us as we Discover Guyana.”