Construction work has commenced on the Blue Ridge Hotel at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara. When completed by 2024, this US$45 million edifice will add a further 200 rooms to the 2000 hotel rooms Government anticipates will be created over the next few years.
Announcement of the commencement of construction work on the Blue Ridge Hotel was made on Saturday by President Dr Irfaan Ali, who was present at the sod-turning exercise of the hotel back in July 2022, and who had actually given the feature address.
This hotel is being constructed by Pasha Global, which was founded in Suriname and operates hotels and casinos in a number of countries. It already has a presence in Guyana through its Carnival Casino on Church Street, which opened in December 2020.
Project Director of Blue Bridge Incorporated, Lalit Sharma, had explained in 2022 that the project would be constructed in phases, and this particular sod-turning exercise was for the first phase, which would be completed by 2024.
“The key highlight of this project is that we will have conference facilities of around 1000 people sitting at one time. We’ll have car parks, and we’ll be having a dedicated parking building. This entire project has been designed in consultation with the (EPA). All the local compliance has been done,” Sharma had said in 2022.
The Assets Director for Blue Bridge, Sanket Balgi, had spoken about the smooth time the company had in interfacing with Government agencies, including the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“Most of these organizations, when I visited, most of the staff were very helpful, very polite, understanding, accommodating…solved all my issues. So, most of the things were done very smoothly, and I’m thankful,” he said.
Over the next few years, Guyana is reputed to see the construction of at least eight hotels. In 2021, the sod was turned for a US$15 million boutique hotel under the Aiden brand to be constructed in the heart of Georgetown. The hotel, which would feature 101 “smart rooms”, is being constructed as part of the Best Western Hotels and Resorts franchise.
Globally-recognized hotel brands, such as the Hyatt, Hilton and Radisson Hotels, have also expressed an interest in investing in Guyana. In 2020, the Government of Guyana, through the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry and GO-Invest, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with investors for a US$90 million Hilton Hotel to be constructed at McDoom, Greater Georgetown.
The investors in the luxury hotel are part of a joint initiative among 658 Guyana Holdings, GREC Investment Group, and TOTALTEC Oilfield Services Guyana Incorporated.
The 289-room branded hotel would be constructed in the already busy area, which is home to many businesses such as Gafoors, Pritipaul Singh Investment, Guyana Shore Base Inc, Farm Supplies, and Schlumberger. Construction was slated to begin in January 2021, and was expected to last for two years.
Around the same time, the Chairman of the Giftland Group, Roy Beepat, announced plans to construct a US$100 million Radisson Blu Hotel as part of an international chain of hotels in several destinations around the world. According to Beepat, the agreement has already been finalized to offer this five-star package to Guyana.
In keeping with Guyana’s push to increase the number of hotel rooms that can accommodate visitors to the country, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has been intent on creating an enabling environment for new hotels. It is an initiative the Government expects would add 2000 hotel rooms to the Guyana stock over the next two years.
Given Guyana’s growing demand for accommodation for visitors, the Government of Guyana, through its Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), had launched an Expression of Interest (EoI) in 2021 for hotel developers.
