Big investments to transform tourism sector

─ travel and tourism contribute to 22, 000 jobs in Guyana for 2018

DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Tourism is the second-largest export sector in Guyana and contributed to 22,000 jobs in Guyana in 2018. Minister of Business, Hon. Haimraj Rajkumar disclosed this last Saturday while he was a guest on the programme ‘INSIGHT’ on VYBZ 100.1 FM.

“I believe that tourism is in a trajectory and we have been improving. We have a target of 500,000 visitors coming to Guyana’s shores by 2025. In 2018, about 183ooo persons visited Guyana with the average spending of $222,000 per visitor,” the minister explained.

Minister Rajkumar said with the expected increase of visitors in Guyana by 2025, plans are in the pipeline to expand accommodations on the coastland and hinterland areas. He further noted that while is well-known Guyana for its rich in flora and fauna, there is much more to be done when marketing to the rest of the world.

“The Ministry of Business is also working to establish a Hospitality Institute in the future. This institute will serve to extensively train hotel owners and their staff. As well as staff at every port of entry and even the small man plying their trade. We aim to prepare our people to welcome visitors and at the same time properly display Guyana’s products and services,” Minister Rajkumar said.

Tour companies will also be provided with unique opportunities to maximise the national efforts being taken to appraise and bolster the industry.

The Business Minster noted that another benefit for the tourism sector will derive from the emerging oil and gas sector, which will aid plans “thereby making Tourism a new frontier for Guyana’s development”.

Based on an analysis of the Visitor Expenditure and Motivation (VEMS) survey conducted by the Bureau of Statistics, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) estimated that travel and tourism injected approximately $62.6Billion directly into Guyana’s economy last year.

Editor’s Note: Export refers to money going from a foreign consumer to domestic business.