– more than 3,000 rooms added as country targets 500,000 visitors by year-end

GUYANA’S tourism sector has expanded its accommodation capacity by more than 3,000 rooms in recent years, as the country prepares for a projected 500,000 visitors by the end of 2026 and works towards a longer-term target of one million visitors annually by 2030.
Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Kamrul Baksh, said the increased room stock, along with the growth of registered bed-and-breakfast establishments and new hotels under construction, has strengthened the country’s ability to accommodate visitors during major events and periods of increased tourism activity.
His comments come as Guyana prepares to host the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), while simultaneously expanding tourism products and developing new circuits in communities beyond the country’s traditional destinations.
“We do have enough rooms. We increased our stock by over 3,000 rooms over the last few years. So, definitely enough stock for CPL,” Baksh said.
He said the GTA’s bed-and-breakfast programme, introduced several years ago to help address accommodation needs, has also expanded, with more than 150 registered establishments now operating.
“We have over 150 registered bed and breakfasts and we continue to receive applications and our inspection team continues to go out and inspect them to get them ready for the CPL period,” he said.
The expansion in accommodation comes against the backdrop of strong growth in visitor arrivals. Guyana recorded 271,592 visitors during the first six months of 2026, with Baksh projecting that arrivals will surpass 500,000 by the end of the year.
“This year has been a record year. The first seven months of the year have all been record months. So, we have started the year off really well and I anticipate by the end of December that we will cross the 500,000 threshold,” he said.
Baksh said the country remains on track towards its 2030 target of one million visitors, pointing to improvements in accommodation, air access, tourism products and supporting infrastructure.
“The one million visitors is the 2030 target and I believe we are on target for that,” he said.
He noted that the availability of airline seats has also expanded significantly, with more than 1.5 million seats now available, strengthening Guyana’s capacity to receive increasing numbers of visitors.
“The number of seats available is well in excess of 1.5 million. We definitely can achieve that one million target,” Baksh said.
However, the continued expansion of tourism will require investment beyond hotels and air travel, particularly in transportation, tour guiding and other services that connect visitors with attractions and communities.
“The products and activities and the supporting infrastructure in terms of the transportation, how do you get there, the guiding and the whole ecosystem for tourism, all is being built out,” Baksh said.
Part of that expansion is focused on taking tourism beyond Guyana’s more established destinations and creating opportunities for communities in hinterland and other regions.
Baksh said the Rupununi, Region Eight and Region One are among the areas being targeted for new tourism circuits and experiences.
“We have been focusing on expanding the Rupununi Circuit. The South Rupununi Circuit has been one of the prioritised areas. We have also looked at Region Eight as a new adventure circuit,” he said.
The development of new circuits could create opportunities for communities to benefit more directly from tourism through accommodation, transportation, guiding, food services, craft production and other small businesses.
As Guyana’s tourism infrastructure and products continue to develop, the country is also preparing to host the State of the Industry Conference from October 5 to 9, marking the first time the event will be held here.
Baksh said the conference will provide an opportunity to showcase Destination Guyana while examining the future of Guyana and Caribbean tourism, including aviation, cruise tourism and emerging niche products.
“The seminar achieves a number of things. One, it is going to be a showcase for Destination Guyana and we are going to put on our best. Two, we are going to be talking about the future of Guyana tourism and Caribbean tourism as a whole,” he said.
The conference is also expected to provide a platform for Caribbean destinations to exchange expertise and perspectives as the region considers strategies for future tourism growth.
For Guyana, the expansion of accommodation, air access and tourism circuits is increasingly placing communities outside the traditional tourism belt in a position to participate in an industry that is becoming an increasingly important contributor to economic activity.