Tourism development goes beyond hotels, resorts – Pres. Ali

President Dr Irfaan Ali has said Guyana’s tourism development strategy extends beyond the construction of hotels and resorts, pointing to investments in infrastructure, urban centres, cultural heritage, and human resource training as essential to establishing the sector as a major contributor to the economy.

In a video posted on his social media page on Thursday, the President described tourism as one of the sectors expected to drive Guyana’s economic future, with the potential to create jobs, generate wealth, attract investment, and expand opportunities for citizens.
Ali said developing the economy required careful planning, an understanding of the country’s competitive advantages and investments in infrastructure, institutions and tourism products.

“One of the sectors of the future is tourism. Building out our economy is not guesswork. It is careful planning,” he said.

The President noted that while Guyana’s tourism product is largely centred on nature and ecotourism, the development of the sector also depends on the condition and attractiveness of its urban centres.

Georgetown and other urban areas, he said, must be welcoming to visitors, with attention paid to street layouts, lighting, safety, culture, history, and heritage.

Ali argued that the tourism experience was shaped by the environment in which visitors travelled, making investments in public spaces, beautification and the restoration of historical buildings important to the sector.

He also highlighted the need for supporting infrastructure, including hinterland airstrips, riverine transportation, ports and other facilities that would improve access to tourism destinations.

The President identified several ongoing and planned developments as part of the investment programme supporting tourism, including improvements to Georgetown and other urban centres, the model villages initiative, the restoration of historical buildings, the construction of a new art centre and a global biodiversity centre, and the redevelopment of markets.

He also pointed to investments in airstrips, roads, farm-to-market access roads and port facilities, including the expansion of the port at Parika.

According to Ali, these projects support several areas of economic activity, including tourism, agriculture, trade and commerce, while helping to establish the infrastructure needed for long-term growth.

“Markets are key to tourism,” he said, emphasising the importance of facilities and services that contribute to the visitor experience.
Ali also linked the construction of hotels to the country’s development agenda, saying investments in accommodation were being made based on expectations of where Guyana’s tourism sector would be in the future.

He further highlighted the International Hospitality Institute in Berbice as an important investment in developing the human resources needed to support the industry.

Training and human capital development, the President said, were critical to ensuring that Guyanese could benefit from the opportunities created by tourism expansion.

He added that incentives for investment and training in tourism, alongside infrastructure development, would be important to building a sustainable sector.

Ali said the investments being made across the country were intended to create an enabling environment for tourism to become an increasingly important part of Guyana’s economy.

He described the developments as investments in productivity and economic opportunity, as part of the country’s longer-term development path.