– Minister Rodrigues says as GTA ramps up capacity building
THE Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) is preparing to push the sector into a more assertive growth phase in 2026, with an aggressive, capacity-building agenda aimed at strengthening product quality and positioning communities to capture a larger share of Guyana’s expanding tourism economy.
This shift was underscored on Tuesday evening when the GTA hosted its annual Guyana Tourism Awards and Gala, the signature close to Tourism Awareness Month, at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown.
The event recognised the individuals, businesses and partners driving innovation, service excellence and national brand visibility across the sector.
Delivering remarks, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, said the Awards serve as a reminder of the standard of excellence the industry must sustain as Guyana experiences intensified global attention.
She noted that Guyana recorded an 18 per cent increase in visitor arrivals for the first seven months of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, a trajectory she said reflects both resilience and international interest in Guyana’s forests, rivers, culture and people.
Rodrigues said the government’s national targets underscore the scale of ambition by 2030, the aim is to welcome three billion transiting passengers through ports of entry and attract at least one billion visitors annually.
“Those targets are ambitious. They demand improved infrastructure, better connectivity and a product that offers visitors consistent quality, clear value and genuine Guyanese experiences,” she stated.
Looking ahead, the Minister signalled that 2026 will mark an escalated push. Their approach, she said, will be “even more aggressive, with focus on areas that have shown the greatest potential for expansion and long-term impact.”
Central to that strategy is a nationwide capacity-building framework designed to ensure professionalism and quality across every region.
“We will intensify capacity building across all regions so that quality and professionalism are present in every tourism destination,” she affirmed, adding that the Tourism and Hospitality Training Institute will transition from construction to full operational readiness to produce more workers equipped for a rapidly growing sector.
Rodrigues said Regional Tourism Desks and Information Centres will be strengthened, with closer collaboration between local leaders and the GTA to ensure consistent standards.
Product development will also move with greater urgency as communities are encouraged to design tourism experiences that reflect their cultural identity and economic aspirations.
The Minister affirmed that the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, and the GTA remain fully committed to advancing this mandate and supporting the sector as they head towards these national targets.
Minister Rodrigues posited that these initiatives demonstrate that villages can create experiences that reflect their unique culture, landscape, and aspirations. They also serve as a reminder that community tourism is a serious economic pathway that is capable of creating employment, strengthening local pride, and adding new products to our national portfolio.
It was said that sustainability remains a central pillar of their work. Guyana’s forests, rivers, savannahs, wetlands, and biodiversity support livelihoods and form the foundation of our tourism identity.
Minister Rodrigues called on awardees to continue to lift standards, innovate, employ young Guyanese, and create value chains that deliver income to communities, and nominees to continue to refine their craft.
Tuesday evening’s awards celebrated both emerging and established contributors to the sector. Among the honourees were Best Emerging Tour Guide, Christopher Persaud; the South Rupununi Conservation Society, Caiman House Inc., Rewa Eco Lodge, Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development and the Guyana Marine Conservation Society for Tourism and Conservation Initiatives.
Wanderlust Adventures GY captured the award for Best Tour; The Balance Hospitality Services received the Best in Service Excellence award; and Waia Green Escapes was named Best New Tourism Product/Experience of the Year.
